Sholay's Legacy: How the Film Defined and Diverged its Stars' Careers

The 1975 film Sholay was a cinematic phenomenon. Let's try to understand how the careers of the film's main cast and crew evolved after the iconic Bollywood movie.

For Amitabh Bachchan, Sholay was a catapult to superstardom. As the "angry young man," his role as Jai cemented his status, leading to an unmatched string of blockbusters throughout the late 70s and 80s. He became the Megastar of Hindi cinema.

Dharmendra was already a star before Sholay, and his role as Veeru only solidified his status. He continued to be one of the highest-paid and most bankable actors. The versatile actor starred in numerous hits in the subsequent decade.

Hema Malini was also a reigning star, and her memorable role as Basanti further cemented her the "Dream Girl" image. She continued a successful acting career, often paired with Dharmendra, before transitioning into a career as a director and politician.

For Jaya Bachchan, Sholay marked a pivotal point where she chose a different path. Already an acclaimed actress, she stepped back from a full-time career to focus on her family. She later returned to acting in the late 90s.

Mac Mohan became a household name for his brief but iconic role as Sambha. While he did not attain leading man status, his fame was huge.

Sachin Pilgaonkar, who played a young villager, used his visibility from Sholay to forge a highly successful career, but primarily in Marathi cinema and television as a director and actor.