40 years of Sholay: An Ode to Gabbar Singh, the villain we love to hate

At one point in Ra.One, Arjun Rampal observes, “Tum log har saal Ravan ko isi din jalate ho kyunki tum jaante ho ke Ravan kabhi nahi marta.” (“You guys burn Ravan on this day every year because you know that Ravan never dies.”)

The same could be said of Gabbar Singh, one of Indian cinema’s most chilling and memorable villains. Gabbar may have been packed off to prison at the end of Sholay, but the character lives free in our imaginations and just his name is enough to make people shudder a little. That’s how much we love to hate the bane of Ramgarh, Gabbar Singh.

This year, on Independence Day, Sholay and Gabbar turn 40 years old. It’s as good a reason as any to put together a list of our favourite Gabbar things.

Gabbar Singh’s iconic dialogues

Let’s start with the basics — the way Amjad Khan delivered the lines Salim-Javed wrote for Gabbar is the stuff of legends. People have been copying Khan for the past 40 years and still, dialogues like “Kitne aadmi thhe?” and “Yeh haath humko de de, Thakur” don’t get old. Take a look at this video compilation:

The Gabbar Singh print ad

You know you’ve created a legend when you’re asked to appear not as yourself, but as the character you’ve played in a film. After the success of Sholay, Amjad Khan appeared in an ad for Britannia biscuits. It was called “Gabbar ki Asli Pasand”.

Gabbar Singh reincarnated in films

So what if Gabbar dies in Sholay? Being an icon means that there’s a host of writers and directors who will revive you. That is exactly what happened with Gabbar Singh. Many movies have influences and flavours of Gabbar, (China Gate, we’re looking at you) but here are 2 that wear their Gabbar-ness on their posters. It must be said, however, that these new-age Gabbars are not a patch on the original.

Gabbar Singh in a graphic novel

It had to happen. In the Gabbar Singh graphic novel, created by Sholay Media and Entertainment in partnership with Graphic India, Gabbar’s back story is explored, taking us back to what happened before he entered Sholay. According to this Mid-day report, “It will focus on the character’s past and the never-before-seen tragic and twisted story of revenge and redemption that turned an ordinary boy into India’s most famous and feared movie villain.”

Gabbar Singh trivia

Did you know that the role of Gabbar was originally offered to Danny Denzongpa? He turned it down because he was shooting for the film Dharmatma in Afghanistan. Denzongpa is pretty darn amazing, but the universe was smiling upon us when it ensured Amjad Khan would get this role.

Khan was actually not a unanimous choice for the role. He was a newcomer and Javed Akhtar thought Khan’s voice wasn’t powerful enough to bring the menace and danger that he had imagined for Gabbar. Which just goes to show that you can’t take writers seriously all the time. Khan’s rough-edged voice and that distinctive delivery is what has made Gabbar as iconic as he is.

In the director’s cut of Sholay, Thakur kills Gabbar. It’s an epic end to this revenge saga. However, the India Censor board did not agree with this ending, deeming it too violent. So another version was made, which is the one most of us have seen. In it, the police reaches the spot at the last minute and arrests Gabbar, telling Thakur that only the law has the right to punish him. Oh well. At least this kept Gabbar Singh alive, in reel and real life.