Sholay!

So, my knowledge of Bollywood is pretty minimal.  But, I'd always assumed that the bigger Indian titles at least would be screened in Pakistan, perhaps with some degree of censorship.  Which made this recent headline from the BBC regarding the anniversary of the film Sholay and its apparent first-time screenings in Pakistan surprising to me.  I mean, even I've seen Sholay, albeit, probably not until some time early in the last decade.  And while it does seem obviously influenced by Western films such as 'Once Upon a Time in the West', it more than stands its own and brings a note with the comedy and the musical numbers that distinguishes it, and similar films, from the fairly formulaic spaghetti westerns.  Never mind that technically it probably stood head-and-shoulders above its regional peers for many years.

And, hey, is it available to watch on YouTube ?  Seems to be.  Should you first consider buying it, if at all possible ?  Or even secondly, if you watch it, and really like it ?  Yes, yes you should.  I believe I got my copy from Eros Media via amazon.co.uk, but prices and deals on these things change daily, as does quality, so it's impossible to recommend a specific product or outlet.  If you've got the money to spend, spend it wisely.