It is doubtful if any other film has had such an impact on Indian cinema, psyche and pop culture as Ramesh Sippy’s Sholay. An absolute masala film with a perfect blend of various genres, it set the benchmark for entertainers. Its action sequences garnered significant acclaim for their impressive staging, choreography and filming. Nevertheless, Sholay wasn’t solely about violence; rather, the fight scenes only enhanced the narrative, the moments and/or the characters’ emotions and their nature. It was just one element among many in the film’s rich tapestry, unlike contemporary films, especially those directly marketed as “pan-Indian”. Here, this term...