'Sholay': Dharmendra shot real bullet past Amitabh Bachchan?
What's the story
The 1975 classic, Sholay, is not only famous for its iconic dialogues and performances but also for the many behind-the-scenes tales. One such story involves an accidental shooting incident with Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan. On an episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati in 2020, Bachchan recounted how his co-star accidentally fired a real bullet past his ear during the climax scene.
Incident details
Bachchan shared this story on 'KBC'
Bachchan was speaking with a contestant, CRPF DIG Preet Mohan Singh, who said she was a big fan of Sholay. She shared her opinion on the climax scene and said that if Veeru (Dharmendra) had more bullets, he could have saved Jai (Bachchan). To this, Bachchan said, "When we were shooting for that scene, then Dharam ji was down below, and I was on top of the hill. Dharam ji opens a chest and picks up the ammunition."
Incident details
'He was so irritated about not getting...'
Bachchan revealed, "He did it once and was unable to pick up the bullets; did it again and failed again. Dharam ji got very irritated." "I don't know what he did, he put the cartridge in the gun, and they were real bullets." "He was so irritated about not getting the right shot that he fired the gun. I heard a 'whooosh' sound as the bullet went past my ear...He had fired a real bullet. Main bach gaya."
Film's legacy
More about 'Sholay'
Apart from Bachchan and Dharmendra, Sholay also starred Jaya Bachchan, Hema Malini, Sanjeev Kumar, and Amjad Khan. Directed by Ramesh Sippy, the film celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025. Written by Salim-Javed, it remains a beloved classic for its dialogues and performances. Meanwhile, Dharmendra (89) is admitted to Breach Candy Hospital for age-related ailments and, according to Malini and Esha Deol, is recovering well. Security has been beefed up outside the hospital.