One of the greatest films of Indian Cinema, Sholay (1975), completed 50 years on August 15. Shooting for the film was a highly memorable affair and it’s no surprise that even after nearly five decades, new and fascinating trivia continues to surface. Recently, Sachin Pilgaonkar, who played Ahmed, opened up about his experience.

50 Years of Sholay: Sachin Pilgaonkar reveals that he refused payment for his role: “Instead of a fee, Ramesh Sippy gifted me my FIRST-ever air conditioner; till today, I can’t sleep without AC, a habit I owe to Sholay!”

While talking to The Times of India, Sachin Pilgaonkar revealed that he worked for free on the film. He said, “Not many people know this, but I refused to accept payment for my role in Sholay. My relationship with Ramesh-ji (director Ramesh Sippy) has always been that of a student and guru. Even now, on Guru Purnima, I message him to seek his blessings. That bond means more than money ever could.”

He then stated, “Instead of a fee, Ramesh-ji gifted me something special… my first-ever air conditioner. It was from a company called Fedders-Lloyd. Sleeping in AC was a luxury back then and from 1975 till today, I haven’t been able to sleep without an AC, a habit I owe to Sholay!”

In the same interview, he also shared how Amitabh Bachchan helped him in the scene where Ahmed had died. Sachin Pilgaonkar admitted, “Amit-ji (Amitabh Bachchan) whispered something to me that I will always remember. He said, ‘Sachin, zara body loose rakhna… It will be easier for us to pick you up and put you down’. It was a small but thoughtful advice. I understood that if I kept my body stiff, it would be harder for them. It was one of those little moments that taught me that even as a ‘dead body’, you need to act right.”

He continued, “I was the youngest on set and very sincere. So, every time my shot came, I would hold my breath. Nobody asked me to. I just did it on my own. And when Ramesh-ji would call “Cut!”, I would let out a huge breath — like a burst — and the whole set would erupt in laughter. Every single time. The first one to laugh would always be Sanjeev Kumar. And then the rest of the cast and crew would join in. It became a bit of a ritual, everyone waiting for my dramatic exhale and the laughter growing after every shot!”

Also Read: 50 years of Sholay EXCLUSIVE: Umesh Mehra of Minerva cinema breaks the MYTH that the film struggled in the initial 2 weeks; says, “Sab jhooth hai. There was negative publicity”; also reveals that this is the only film that ran genuinely for years

More Pages: Sholay Box Office Collection

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