Sholay Director Ramesh Sippy Makes A Comeback After 25 Years…Shimla Mirch To Finally Release

In a sudden  turn of events  producers Viacom 18 have decided to release  the  long-delayed HemaMalini-Raj Kummar Rao  starrer Shimla Mirch. The  film about a romantic relationship between  a young man and an older woman played by Rao and Hemaji ,was  shot in 2014. The  film then  got into serious  production issues and was  shelved for all practical purposes.

A  pity since Shimla Mirch was the great Sholay director Ramesh  Sippy’s  first  directorial  venture in  25 years. The  super-gifted  Ramesh Sippy last directed Zamana Deewana with Shah Rukh Khan and Raveena Tandon in 1995. The  film was a disaster and the  director of such neo-classics as Seeta Aur Geeta, Sholay,  Shakti and  and Saagar went into a selfimposed hibernation.

Only to return in  2014.When Shimla Mirch was completed and  remained unreleased RameshSippy sadly said, “I don’t think that film is going  to get released.”

Happily,  Sippy  was wrong.

The film’s  leading lady Hema Malini who has not been seen on screen since Aman Ke Farishay in 2016 is surprised  to know about  the sudden  release  of  Shimla Mirch. The unbeatable director-actress combo of Ramesh Sippy and Hema Malini created history three times over with Andaz, Seeta Aur Geeta and Sholay.

Would they again generate the same hysteria with their fourth outing together in Shimla Mirch?

Says Hema, “I am working with Rameshji after nearly 40 years. But it seems like just the other. We picked up the threads of our association as if the big time-gap didn’t happen in-between. He is very mischievous with me. There is a glint in his eyes and a secret smile that haven’t faded with time. He is still the same. Shooting with Rameshji again was l a lot of fun. Let’s see if this time around we again emerge with something special. Rameshji has given me another very important role in Shimla Mirch. Rameshji insisted. And when I heard the script I knew why. At my age actresses don’t get such important roles that easily.”