GC Block’s Kali Puja paid tribute to the timeless blockbuster Sholay, marking its 50th anniversary. The pandal was decorated with iconic images and dialogues from the film, and life-sized cutouts of the characters were placed around the park for visitors to click selfies with.
The event also featured a show Kichu Kotha, Kuch Yaadein — a tribute to Hindi and Bengali cinema down the ages — where residents recreated scenes and songs from Uttam-Suchitra classics to Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol hits, culminating in two scenes from Sholay.
“The first time I saw Sholay was right here in GC Park,” smiled Santanu Das, who played Veeru in the Sholay tribute. “It was in the early 90s, when we used to rent video cassettes. The film was played here during the pujas on a big screen.”
Santanu and Jai (Anindya Lahiri) performed the scene where Thakur (Jishnu Gupta) recruits them to capture Gabbar. The second scene was the one where Gabbar shoots his three henchmen for getting beaten up by Jai and Veeru. The skit used original voiceovers from the movie, making it even more relatable for the audience.
“It was a challenge to play Gabbar since he’s a negative character, but it feels rewarding now that neighbours are coming to click pictures with me dressed as him,” laughed Joyjit Roy, who portrayed Gabbar in the skit and also designed the Sholay-themed pandal.
The show was directed by Susmita Das. “We had some 40 participants and just two weeks of rehearsal,” she said. “It was sad to know that Asrani (who played the comic ‘Angrezo ke zamane ka jailer’ in Sholay), passed away yesterday. We couldn’t include his role in the skit due to lack of time - we couldn’t even include Basanti, for that matter - but our show began with a tribute to Asrani on the big screen.”
Before the skit, some trivia about Sholay was shared with the audience — that Shatrughan Sinha was originally considered for Amitabh Bachchan’s role and Danny Denzongpa for Gabbar’s; that the film was almost titled Angarey, and that it became the first movie to achieve a silver jubilee run of 25 weeks in over 100 theatres across the country.
“On Kali Puja evening, before the rituals began, Sholay was screened on the big screen too, drawing a huge crowd. I watched it too and picked up some last-minute tips,” said Anindya, who played Jai.
“Sholay is a favourite among both young and old. It teaches us about friendship, leadership, and how even villains can be unforgettable,” said Jumpa Ghosh, who anchored the show. The audience agreed. “GC Block’s Sholay was no less than the real one,” declared Subarna Chattopadhyay, who rushed backstage to congratulate the cast after the performance.