Even after half a century, the magic of Sholay remains undimmed. Celebrating the golden jubilee of India’s most iconic film, Simla Sporting Club has chosen the Bollywood classic as the theme of its Durga Puja pandal this year. The pandal pays tribute to one of Indian cinema’s undisputed benchmarks, recreating the aura of Ramesh Sippy’s magnum opus with artistry, nostalgia, and spectacle.

Different posters, Sholay stamps, and casting details dot the walls of the pandal. Visitors are greeted with hand-painted portraits of unforgettable characters Jai, Veeru, Basanti, and the dreaded Gabbar Singh, along with their legendary dialogues that continue to echo in popular memory. From “Kitne aadmi the?” to “Basanti, in kutton ke saamne mat naachna!”, the script of Salim-Javed comes alive once again in Kolkata.

The organisers have gone a step further to add their own twist. In a striking creative choice, the idol of Goddess Durga has been placed inside “Basanti’s tanga (horse carriage)” but with a symbolic change — the horse has been replaced by the lion, the vahan of the goddess. “This is our speciality,” said Soumya Paul, Secretary of Simla Sporting Club, “and a mark of how Sholay’s world blends with our cultural tradition.”

With Sholay having released with 26 posters pan-India, the organisers have sourced and displayed them, along with old newspaper clippings where the film was mentioned. One of the highlights is a reminder of the record-breaking feat of the film, as it ran for five years in Minerva Theatre in Mumbai, a milestone few movies can claim. In an era dominated by OTT platforms, the pandal’s theme also serves as commentary on the fading magic of single-screen theatres.

“Through this puja, we tried to reconnect two generations,” explained concept designer Sarthaki Sur, “People from the ’70s will feel nostalgic, while today’s youth will see how a film like Sholay was made, which ran for five years in a hall. Nowadays, OTT platforms have lessened the interest of the youth to visit cinema halls, but Sholay proves how powerful cinema can be.”

The pandal has not been without challenges. Kolkata’s unprecedented rain on September 23 caused significant damage. “Due to the flooding, we are delayed by a day. Many posters were torn, hand paintings were ruined, and we were unable to recover them. It has left gaps we cannot repaint due to time constraints.” said Koustav Paul, a member of Simla Sporting Club. Despite these setbacks, the resilience of the committee and student artists from art colleges, who painted the characters and scenes, has ensured that the pandal remains a vibrant homage to the timeless film.

R. D. Burman’s unforgettable soundtrack will play through the pandal, from the evergreen “Yeh Dosti” to “Mehbooba Mehbooba,” transporting visitors into the Sholay universe. The theme is further amplified with mention of the dialogues of Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, and Amjad Khan, which have become part of India’s cultural lexicon.

The total budget of the pandal is Rs 4.5 lakh, but for the organisers, the investment is more about emotion than expense. “Even if Sholay is played in theatres today, people won’t get bored,” said Paul. “It is such an iconic movie, still discussed among people. With many halls closing due to lack of audiences, we also want to highlight that if films like Sholay were made again, perhaps this could have been stopped,” he concluded.