Bengaluru: Nearly fifty years after its release, the legacy of Sholay—one of Indian cinema’s greatest blockbusters—continues to loom large over the rugged landscape of Ramanagara, a rocky expanse just outside Bengaluru. What many fans today may not know is that the city itself played a significant behind-the-scenes role not only in the making of the film, but also in one of Bollywood’s most enduring love stories.
The rocky terrain that became Sholay’s world
Released in 1975, Sholay is celebrated for its sweeping visuals, memorable characters and powerful storytelling. Much of the film’s aesthetic owes itself to the dramatic granite outcrops of Ramanagara. Long before these hills became a hotspot for trekkers and tourists, they served as the perfect backdrop for director Ramesh Sippy’s vision of a rugged, lawless hinterland.
During the months of shooting, the cast and crew shuttled daily between Bengaluru and Ramanagara. Two prominent hotels of the era — Hotel Ashok, now The Lalit Ashok, and Hotel Bangalore International — hosted the film’s stars. Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan, then rising megastars, stayed at Hotel Ashok and reportedly commuted the nearly 60 km to the sets via taxi every day.
Daily commutes that became a spectacle
Their drives soon turned into a citywide event. Film enthusiasts in Bengaluru quickly caught on to the actors’ schedules, and crowds began gathering along Mysuru Road, particularly near RV College of Engineering, hoping for a glimpse. On lucky days, Amitabh or Dharmendra would pause for a cup of tea, creating a moment of frenzy among onlookers.
The excitement was not limited to the roads. Every vantage point — the hotel entrances, the shooting locations and the surrounding rocks — would fill with curious fans straining to see the stars in action. The makeshift set constructed in Ramanagara later came to be fondly known as Sippy Nagar, a tribute to the director and the cultural impact of the film.
A romantic chapter quietly written in Bengaluru
Local lore and industry anecdotes suggest that Sholay’s shooting in Ramanagara also played a critical role in shaping the off-screen romance between Dharmendra and Hema Malini. Though the two had acted together in several films before Sholay, it is believed that the long months spent in Karnataka — away from Mumbai’s bustle — deepened their bond.
Some accounts even claim that the couple explored the possibility of making Bengaluru their home. They reportedly scouted various neighbourhoods, eventually purchasing a plot in Arekere, then a quiet village far from the city centre and today one of the city’s thriving residential hubs. While the dream of a shared Bengaluru residence never materialised, the land they jointly bought remains a reminder of how seriously the couple had considered the idea.
Bengaluru’s role in Sholay’s early screenings
The excitement around the film was not limited to the outdoor shoot. Bengaluru’s Chamundeshwari Studios hosted screenings of the film’s rushes — raw, unedited footage that drew significant curiosity from local technicians and filmmakers.
And when Sholay finally premiered, the city shared the spotlight with Mumbai. A simultaneous release was held in Bengaluru, with a special screening organised at Baldwin Girls’ School, marking the city’s unique connection with the film’s journey.
Fifty years later, a legacy etched in stone
Today, Ramanagara’s hills draw tourists, trekkers, photographers and film enthusiasts who still explore the rocky ridges searching for remnants of the world where Gabbar Singh once roared. Many of the rock formations familiar from the film — including the towering cliffs and the valley that served as Gabbar’s hideout — remain instantly recognisable.
For locals, the memories of the 1970s film shoot endure through family stories — of crowds gathering along the roads, of stars waving from their cars, of a city that had briefly become the beating heart of Indian cinema.
Half a century on, Sholay is not just a film. For Bengaluru and Ramanagara, it is a chapter of shared history — a tale of art, landscape and a romance that blossomed quietly behind camera lenses. The hills of Ramanagara still echo with those stories, preserving the magic of a time when Bollywood’s biggest legends walked their slopes.