The Unsung Hero of Sholay - ZEE5’s The Sholay Girl

March 12, 2019

Every movie buff across generations will definitely remember the iconic film, Sholay. Ramesh Sippy’s 1975 Bollywood classic is what memorable films are made of — a stellar storyline, well thought out characters, meaningful dialogues, and above all powerhouse performers. Each actor left a mark on the audience in their own way...  Every one envied the Jai-Veeru friendship while feeling compassionate towards the young widow Radha, some even expressed the desire to avenge for the shawl clad Thakur and punish the devil incarnate Gabbar.



However, the one character that caught everyone by surprise was Basanti, the love interest of Veeru... a feisty village belle who rode a horse cart for a living and talked a mile a minute. The film showed multiple facets of Basanti from irritating to silly, from coy to shrewd, from illogical to ferocious — keeping a viewer pegged to her character. However, the most arresting aspect of Basanti was the dare-devil stunts that were performed by the character during crucial points in the film.  At one such point,  Basanti narrowly escapes the villain's goons in a thrilling horse cart chase, the sequence sent shivers down every girl's spine; except for one - Reshma Pathan, the female stunt double who actually filmed the scene for the film. Seriously injured during the chase scene, she bounced back into work within a few days. 

Sholay wasn't the first film Reshma did as a stunt artist but Sholay made her known name in the industry, something which eluded many stunt women during the time in the film industry. The story of most such artists largely remained behind the scenes and would remain anonymous even today if not for director Aditya Sarpotdar’s The Sholay Girl, a biopic on Reshma Pathan. Released on Women’s Day this year, here’s why you should watch The Sholay Girl online which is currently streaming on ZEE5. 

The Sholay Girl is one such film that plots the life of a young girl who began working as a stunt double from the age of 14 years and charted her journey through numerous trials and struggles to reach a milestone in a career that was restricted to men. Check the trailer of the film here. 



The two main characters of The Sholay Girl, Reshma Pathan is played by Bidita Bag of Babumoshai Bandookbaaz fame and Stunt Director Asim is played by Chandan Roy Sanyal. Bidita Bag nails her character to the T and delivers an honest compelling performance that instantly transports viewers to the 70s era. She has so beautifully lived the character throughout the film that it leaves a distinct mark in viewers minds for a long time. Chandan Roy Sanyal delivers a performance that only a few can replicate, and does so effortlessly. The powerhouse duo brings to life every scene they are in, giving a visual representation to bravery, strength and indomitable resilience.

The film is the one with a truly happy ending that celebrates the work of an invisible hero Reshma Pathan, her daring personality and her never-give-up attitude. So, watch ZEE5 original The Sholay Girl online for a truly uplifting, realistic, no-frills biopic that will add a ‘can-do’ spirit to your thoughts. Click here to get more insights on The Sholay Girl. 

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