New Delhi, April 4 At the age of seven, he visited a film set, saw his father direct, and fell in love with movies. Seventy-two years later, Ramesh Sippy is ready to create more magic with another "Buniyaad", continuing the epic Partition story that aired on Doordarshan in 1986 and continues to resonate.
The son of producer-director G P Sippy, and the director of blockbusters like "Sholay", "Seeta Aur Geeta", and "Shaan", says his passion started early. He knew right then that he wanted to make films.
"Since the age of seven, when I first went to the sets of the film 'Saza' (which was my father's first film), I was completely absorbed in that world... It wasn't just a fascination at that time, but it grew over the years," Sippy told
"That young boy wanted only one thing – to make films," he added, recalling that he left college in London to work on his father's sets.
"I learned everything on the sets of all the films that my father produced and backed. And ultimately, I took the first step towards directing. I launched 'Andaz', and he fully supported me."
"Andaz", released in 1971, starring Shammi Kapoor and Hema Malini, was a major success.
The story was written by Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar, the renowned screenwriter duo who later collaborated with Sippy on several successful projects.
This marked the beginning of many more hits to come.
Any conversation with Sippy inevitably turns to "Sholay", just four years after "Andaz". Starring Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Sanjeev Kumar, Amjad Khan, and Jaya Bachchan, the film written by Salim-Javed, celebrated its 50th anniversary last year and remains one of the most iconic Hindi films.
"Because it's so beloved, I feel a part of it. All film lovers feel the same way, and I'm happy about that… To make 'Sholay', we had to create a script that we developed together. And we had a fantastic cast, which made a big difference. So, it all worked out," Sippy said, who was in Delhi to receive the lifetime achievement award at the International Film Festival Delhi.
Everyone, he noted, has their own interpretation of "Sholay". And this, Sippy says, makes it particularly challenging to describe.
"Everyone loves the film and enjoys it. But everyone has their own perspective. I believe that everyone can enjoy the film in their own way. I made the film for the people. So, it's up to them to enjoy it the way they want."
There are as many stories about "Sholay" as there are characters in the film. Some are true, some are popular, but none are entirely based on reality, he said.
How did he convince his father to finance the film, which cost Rs 3 crore at the time and was considered a significant investment?
"I'll tell you something about my father. He didn't hesitate at all. To him, the budget wasn't a major concern."
A restored version of "Sholay" was re-released in theaters last year, but the grand celebration that the team had planned could not take place due to the death of veteran actor Dharmendra in November.
"We couldn't have a celebration because he passed away. But yes, it would have been wonderful. I think time takes its toll, and his health was not up to it," Sippy said.
"Sholay" and its immense success are often evoked when a film exceeds expectations, with the most recent example being Aditya Dhar's two-part saga, "Dhurandhar".
What are his thoughts on this?
"I have seen 'Dhurandhar' and 'The Revenge', and both are excellent. I loved them. The action was fantastic, and the concept and the staging of the sequences were also superb. Aditya Dhar and his team have done a fantastic job," he said.
Sippy is as much remembered for his Doordarshan hit, "Buniyaad", as he is for his films.
"‘Buniyaad' was the first big event on DD. The DD team wanted to do something, and they approached my father, who in turn told me about it. 'Hum Log' was already on DD. So, we met with writer Manohar Sharma Joshi. There was an immediate connection, and we were able to collaborate and create 'Buniyaad'," Sippy said.
Discussing a possible sequel to the epic saga, which starred Alok Nath, Sippy's now-wife Kiran Juneja, Anita Kanwar, and Kanwaljeet among others, the director said, "... I'm sure it will happen. The right thing will happen at the right time. So, anytime they give the nod, we'll come up with something."
The 79-year-old was born in Karachi, and the family moved to Mumbai when he was just three years old.
Sippy is currently writing his memoir. A significant portion of the book is already complete. Besides, his wife, actress Kiran Juneja, is also working on a documentary about his life and career.
"The documentary is about me and my career. So, I'm sure it will capture a lot of my professional life and maybe a little bit of my personal life, but not too much. I don't like to talk about personal things. So, I'll keep that to a minimum. But yes, about my career and my life. There will be incidents and moments captured," he said.
Continuing the family legacy are his son, director Rohan Sippy, and grandson Zahan Kapoor, who is also the grandson of Shashi Kapoor, combining the Sippy-Kapoor legacy.
"I think Zahan is a lovely boy… I think he's going to do great things. He has a bright future. He's passionate about it, and he's a talented actor. And he has the lineage of the Kapoor family... So, I think the legacy is all there," Sippy said.