Vidhi's Bollywood Film Club & Adivasi present: SHOLAY!

Join us Saturday, November 13th for India's quintessential blockbuster film, Sholay (1975)! Quoted by BBC as “The Star Wars of Bollywood” Sholay remains India's most watched and iconic films of all time. Often described as a “masala” film, implying a mix of various spices, Sholay is full of action, adventure, music, romance and noteworthy dialogues that every Indian movie buff can recall verbatim. TRAILER

Nepalese Street Snacks and refreshments will be available from Keene International Market during intermission for multisensorial delight!

About the film:

Sholay takes place in the fictional village of Ramgarh in central India; a place characterised by dirt roads and the constant fear of dacoits that surround the village. The film follows the story of two outlaws and best friends, Jai and Veeru, who are hired by a former police chief, Thakur Baldev Singh to fight and capture the formidable dacoit leader, Gabbar Singh. The archetypal plot touches upon several themes such as male bonding, class oppression, loneliness and revenge. The revenge caper, often dubbed as a “Curry Western” is influenced by several Hollywood classics such as The Wild Bunch, Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid and Seven Samurai. Critics have commended Sholay for its several innovations in cinematography and stunt direction. The opening train heist and chase sequence put the best CGI stunts to shame and the long shots of rocky, desolate terrain, combined with ambient background score lend an eerie tension to the scenes.

Sholay catapulted all the lead actors to instant fame. The portrayal of Gabbar Singh by actor Amjad Khan ushered in the era of the “supervillain” in Indian cinema. It also established actor Amitabh Bachchan, often called Big B, as India's superstar and the reigning macho man of the 70s. Initially, when Sholay released in Indian theatres, it was declared a flop but soon audiences flocked to theatres for repeat viewings. The film ruled over Indian box offices for five years and remained the highest grossing Bollywood film for two decades. Post the film's success, the makers released the original soundtrack and the dialogues of the film that set new records in cassette sales. Crowds would gather on the streets outside stores to listen to Sholay's dialogues being played on the radio.

About host Vidhi Salla:

Vidhi Salla is the host of the popular international radio show, Vidhi's Bollywood Jukebox. Her theme-based, educational radio show on Indian cinema and music airs on Brattleboro community radio, WVEW-LP on 107.7 every Thursday from 3-5pm. To introduce Vermont audiences to various aspects of Indian cinema, Vidhi has been hosting movie events on various platforms featuring thoroughly-researched cultural introductions before every screening.

ADIVASI Attic Sale -  November 12-14

Our friends Adivasi will be selling the last of their inventory at this very special pop-up store at Epsilon Spires! Come get inspired! There will be incense, textiles, antiques, silver jewelry, Hindu prints, textile blocks, as well as a whole bunch of miscellaneous things like displays and broken objects that are great for art projects.  Everything must go! They are ready to make deals. Hours are Friday and Saturday (November 12 and 13) from 11-8, Sunday (November 14) 11-3.