Life Lessons We Can Learn From The Movie Sholay

Sholay is an iconic movie for a lot of reasons: iconic characters, an engrossing story, epic lines… just a highly watchable movie. Apart from its entertainment value, the Sholay teaches us some valuable life lessons as well… not just that friendships and loyalty are important, but much else besides:

Tell the truth

Sometimes the truth is unpleasant, but there is no avoiding it, as the tearjerker scene of Ahmed's death taught us. Silence can be tantamount to lying.

Friendships is through thick and thin

Once a friend, always a friend. To tweak the lines of the bard, Friendship is not friendship / Which alters when it alteration finds. It is an ever-fixed mark: through songs sung in side-cars, burglaries, stints in prison, finishing off baddies and then making the ultimate sacrifice for a lifelong buddy with a fixed coin toss.

All is fair in love and war

Veeru pretending to teach Basanti how to shoot, ‘persuading’ her by using divine intervention, and contentedly listening to her prattle… it’s all allowed when it’s true (presumably) love!

Negotiation is important

Some would call it coercion or blackmail – a more indulgent person would call it negotiation when Veeru threatened suicide unless he was united with the love of his life.

Never tolerate injustice…

…Even if it means standing up to those in positions of power and authority. Question the mighty, stand up for your rights (except when you're in jail for crimes you’ve actually committed).

A handicap need not be a handicap

Working together and putting up a united front can help overcome adversaries and adversity! So what if someone is handicapped; with the right mindset and team, it is possible to achieve even lofty goals!

Stand up for your principles

Don’t let circumstances cow you; don’t give in to pressure and compromise in a difficult situation. In other words don’t dance before the dogs or इन कुत्तो के सामने मत नाचना बसंती… Even if said dogs threaten the life and wellbeing of the love of our life.

Some traditions are important to observe

Festivals and celebrations are important for the community; for its cohesion, unity and wellbeing.

Some traditions should be broken

The tradition that frowns of widow remarriage is clearly one that needs to end. Sholay made a statement about the desolate lives that widows are expected to lead, but stopped short of making a bolder statement like the depiction of actual widow remarriage.

Make time for leisure and recreation

All work and no play makes Jack and Jill very dull children. So make time for yourself and the things that you enjoy doing. Party and let your hair down once in a while!

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