NEW DELHI: Reminiscing ‘Sholay’ in times of conflict, the Consulate General of Iran in Mumbai Tuesday took to X (formerly Twitter) to post about an Iranian newspaper’s coverage on the iconic Bollywood film awaiting its 50th anniversary.The Iranian embassy joined in, posting “Sholay turns 50 and Iran still remembers.” While this nostalgic tribute highlighted the film’s timeless appeal and cross-cultural resonance transcending borders, the gesture was also pleasantly surprising at a time when the country is recovering from a war.‘Sholay’ was released on Aug 15, 1975, when India was under the Emergency.The Consulate General’s post recalled how an Iranian newspaper dedicated a full-page tribute to ‘Sholay’, noting that the film’s unforgettable story of friendship has become a cornerstone of cinematic memory in Iran. Interestingly, the iconic villain Gabbar Singh is known as Jabbar Singh in Iran. The post also mentioned Iranian actor Navid Mamza, who drew inspiration from Gabbar Singh’s looks and menacing mannerisms.This gesture is significant given the historical and cultural ties between India and Iran. The two countries enjoyed a long-standing relationship rooted in their shared border until India’s partition in 1947. Indian cinema has been a common thread between the two nations, with films like ‘Shree 420’ and ‘Sangam’ gaining immense popularity in Iran. Raj Kapoor’s visit to Iran for the premiere of Shree 420 was met with a grand welcome, with fans showering him with affection.A newsletter on the website of the Hinduja group – which played a role in the film’s distribution in Tehran – quotes SP Hinduja saying that it was the eldest of Hinduja siblings, Girdhar, based in Iran in the 1950s, who came up with the idea of promoting Indian films in Iran. “As he (Kapoor) stepped on to the platform upon arrival in Tehran, the crowd – predominantly women – started screaming. The noise was incredible and then there was a surge as several women smothered him with kisses,” it says.