Ramesh Sippy only directed Amitabh, Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar’s scenes in Sholay, recalls actor-director Sachin

By Jhinjara

After nearly five decades of its release in 1975, Sholay continues to captivate film enthusiasts, revealing fascinating behind-the-scenes stories. The Ramesh Sippy directorial blockbuster transcended its box office success to redefine Indian entertainment, embodying the essence of masala cinema. Written by the iconic Salim–Javed duo, Sholay boasted an ensemble cast featuring Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Hema Malini, Jaya Bachchan and Amjad Khan.
Recalling some interesting trivia from the sets of Sholay, actor-director Sachin Pilgaonkar, who worked as an assistant director on the film, spilled some beans on the film’s production. In a recent interview on the YouTube channel ‘Khaane Mein Kya Hai’, he revealed that director Ramesh Sippy mainly guided the lead actors like Amitabh, Dharmendra and Sanjeev Kumar, while a second unit handled other sequences.
Sachin reminisced about the action sequences led by stunt filmmaker Mohammed Ali and action director Azim, with help from Hollywood professionals Jim and Jerry. He humorously recalled feeling like one of the “useless” crew members alongside Amjad Khan, who later played the iconic villain, Gabbar Singh.

Sachin also shared how Sippy recognized his and Amjad Khan’s budding directorial ambitions, assigning them important responsibilities. “He asked us if we liked to represent him. Andha maange ek aankh, suddenly usko do mil gaya (the blind man asked for one eye, but suddenly he got two),” he joked.
One of the most memorable moments he recalled was the filming of the iconic train robbery scene along the Bombay-Poona railway near Panvel. While Sippy shot the key scenes involving the stars, Sachin and the second unit managed the rest, reflecting the collaborative nature that defined Sholay’s production.