In the year 1975, a film was released in theatres that cemented Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra's status as superstars. We are talking about the film Sholay which became a box office hit as soon as it was released in 1975. Sholay, after its release, became the highest-grossing Indian film of 1975. According to Wikipedia, the makers spent about Rs 3 crore in the making of this film. This Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra-starrer was successful in earning a total of Rs 35 crore at the worldwide box office.
But, have you ever wondered what would have been the budget of Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra's film Sholay if it was made in the year 2025? As per media reports, if the makers had made Sholay in 2025, they would have spent about Rs 300 to Rs 400 crores.
As per reports, the purchasing power of the Indian rupee has decreased significantly from 1975 to 2025. With an average annual inflation rate of 7 to 8 percent, Rs 3 crore in 1975 would now be equivalent to about Rs 150-200 crore.
At the same time, no expensive VFX or editing technology was used in the film during 1975. So it can be assumed that modern technology (VFX, CGI, drone shots, high-tech cameras, etc) would cost the makers around Rs 65 to Rs 110 crores.
At the same time, no expensive VFX or editing technology was used in the film during 1975. So it can be assumed that modern technology (VFX, CGI, drone shots, high-tech cameras, etc.) costs the makers around 65 to 110 crores.
If the set was built in 2025 at the same place where Sholay was shot, its budget would be around Rs 15 to Rs 20 crores. If we talk about the fees of the lead cast in the film, in 1975, everyone's fees were in lakhs, in 2025 it would have reached crores. If we include the expenses of music, film promotion, PR, etc., then it would not be less than Rs 30-45 crores. So, overall, the makers would have spent about Rs 300 to Rs 400 crores in making the film Sholay in 2025.
But, here is another thing, if we compare the movie tickets of 2025 with those of 1975, we will see a lot of differences. Even if the movie was made for Rs 300-400 crores, its earnings today would have been tremendous.