Sholay's Legendary 5-Year Run at Minerva Cinema Revealed

As Sholay, the classic Hindi film, celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025, Umesh Mehra, the son of filmmaker FC Mehra, provided exclusive insights into the movie's phenomenal run at Minerva cinema.

Contrary to the long-held belief that Sholay struggled in its initial weeks, Mehra firmly refuted these claims, stating, "No truth in it. Bakwaas, sab jhooth hai." He revealed that the film was "full in advance for two years" and enjoyed a genuine, public-driven run, unlike other movies that may have been propped up by producers or distributors.

Mehra also shared an interesting anecdote about the film's premiere at Minerva on August 14. Just before the star-studded event, the 70mm print of Sholay was stuck at the Customs, forcing the cinema to use a cinemascope print for the premiere. Despite this, the audience was captivated by the "Kya effect hai!" and "Kya impact hai!" of the screening.

Remarkably, Sholay went on to run at Minerva for an unprecedented five years, a feat Mehra believes was unmatched by any other film. He attributed this to the unwavering support of the public, who would line up for kilometers to secure advance tickets, even for regular shows.

Mehra's recollections paint a vivid picture of the era, where audience reactions were a sight to behold, with people whistling, clapping, and even throwing money on the screen during the film's iconic moments.