Sholay gets its first screening with a live orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall

Sholay, one of the best-loved films in the history of Indian cinema, had its Films in Concert world premiere at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Saturday 10 October. The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra played RD Burman's score live to the film.

The orchestra was conducted by Melvin Tay. The screening was part of the Royal Albert Hall's Films in Concert series, which shows well-known films on a giant screen while an orchestra plays the soundtrack. The performance started at 6.30pm and was rated 12A.

This was the first time Sholay had been shown in this format. Footage shared with UB1UB2 shows a large audience in the hall as the friendship song Yeh Dosti Hum Nahin Todenge played. Sitar and tabla players performed alongside the orchestra's strings.

The Final Cut

The film shown was Sholay: The Final Cut, a restored 4K version of the 1975 film. The restoration was carried out by the Film Heritage Foundation in India. It brings back footage that the Indian censor board removed before the film was first released, including the film's original ending and two deleted scenes.

The original camera negative had been badly damaged, and the restoration returns the film to its original 70mm widescreen aspect ratio. The Final Cut was released in cinemas in December 2025 on about 1,500 screens across India, marking 50 years since the film first came out.

A landmark of Indian cinema

Ramesh Sippy directed Sholay, which was released in 1975. The film is often called a "curry western". Thakur Baldev Singh, a former police inspector, hires two small-time outlaws, Jai and Veeru, to catch Gabbar Singh, the bandit who killed his family.

The film starred Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjeev Kumar, Hema Malini, Jaya Bhaduri and Amjad Khan, whose Gabbar Singh became one of the best-known villains in Hindi cinema. The film mixes action, revenge drama, comedy, tragedy and musical numbers, and its lines and songs are still quoted by generations of film fans.

RD Burman's soundtrack is a large part of the film's lasting appeal. Songs such as Yeh Dosti Hum Nahin Todenge and Mehbooba Mehbooba are still widely played at family gatherings and weddings, including in the South Asian communities of Southall, Hayes, Hounslow, Wembley and Harrow.

Bollywood at the Hall

The Films in Concert series at the Royal Albert Hall, on Kensington Gore in South Kensington, has mostly featured Hollywood blockbusters and well-known film scores. Adding Sholay to the series reflects the growing audience in London for live performances of classic Indian film music.

For many in the audience, the evening was a chance to hear songs they grew up with in a new setting. The Royal Albert Hall publishes upcoming Films in Concert dates on its website.