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Sholay

Directed by Ramesh Sippy · 1975 ·

Answer Summary: Is Sholay worth watching?

Sholay (1975) earns a 87% Celluloid Score — Recommended. Recommended — recommended by most critics and audiences.Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one.

Quick Verdict: What is the Celluloid Score for Sholay?

Calculated from 3 available inputs: Celluloid editorial rating, Metascore, Letterboxd and IMDb. Audience sentiment is shown separately and never changes the composite. See how we calculate scores.

87%
Celluloid Score Recommended

3-input transparent breakdown

96% Editorial Rating
90% Audience snapshot · excluded
★★★★½ Letterboxd 4.5
8.1 IMDb /10
Watch Trailer
Runtime
3h 24m
Cast
Dharmendra , Amitabh Bachchan , Hema Malini
Country
India
Language
Hindi

🏆 1 award win · 1 nomination — Won Best Editing, National Film Awards (India) 1976

Where to watch

Streaming availability varies by region — currently on ITVX in the United Kingdom. Check local listings for your region.

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play

Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play

Where to watch Sholay by country

Country Streaming on
India Prime Video
Japan Hulu
Nigeria Prime Video
South Africa Prime Video
United Kingdom ITVX

Subscription availability, refreshed from TMDB. Rental and purchase options may differ.

Why this score?

  • Celluloid's editorial rating is exceptional (96/100).
  • Audiences widely enjoyed it (90%).
  • Letterboxd diarists rate it highly (4.5/5).
  • IMDb users score it 8.1/10.
  • Celluloid Score 87% combines 3 verified rating inputs; audience sentiment is shown separately.

Best for

  • Viewers who want a well-regarded action, western pick
  • Epic-length viewers who want a big-screen experience

Not ideal for

  • Viewers who dislike long runtimes

Scores reflect data indexed at build time. Component sources are shown on this page; Celluloid Score is our composite, not a third-party trademark. Scoring policy

Streaming availability, artwork and title metadata courtesy of TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.

Is Sholay worth watching?

Yes — Sholay earns a 87% Celluloid Score. Recommended — recommended by most critics and audiences.

Celluloid Verdict

India's definitive masala western — endlessly quoted, remade in spirit, never surpassed.

Celluloid editorial verdict

Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one.

What is Sholay about?

Two small-time crooks hired to capture a ruthless bandit forge unlikely bonds with villagers on the dusty frontier.

Watch the Trailer

Critic Reviews

critic Sholay

Sholay (1975) Review: An Indian Cinema Essential

India's definitive masala western — endlessly quoted, remade in spirit, never surpassed.

Essential viewing — among the finest films in Indian cinema.

Sholay stills

Official production imagery supplied through TMDB, kept with the movie instead of split into a thin gallery page.

Sholay production still 1
Sholay production still 2
Sholay production still 3
Sholay production still 4
Sholay production still 5
Sholay production still 6

Images courtesy of TMDB. TMDB does not endorse or certify Celluloid.

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