India, Aug. 8 -- On August 15, 1975, India celebrated 28 years of its freedom. It was a Friday, and quite a few films released in theatres, largely to bank on the Independence Day weekend. Among them was an action drama that initially fell flat at the box office, finding few takers. But over the next few weeks, months, and years, it redefined the cultural impact of cinema in India, emerging as arguably the most impactful and greatest Hindi film ever made. That was Sholay, the 'curry western' from Ramesh Sippy.

But before Sippy held the reins, Sholay originated in the minds of the superstar screenwriting duo Salim-Javed. Having already delivered a superhit in Zanjeer, Salim-Javed were on a high when they pitched Sholay to Sippy. As the ic...