Ramesh Sippy (born 23 January 1947) is an Indian film director and producer best known for Sholay (1975), one of the most celebrated films in Indian cinema history. His other works include Seeta Aur Geeta, Shaan, Shakti and the landmark television series Buniyaad.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Ramesh Sippy |
| Born | 23 January 1947, Karachi, Sindh (now in Pakistan) |
| Age | 79 |
| Profession | Director, producer |
| Father | G. P. Sippy (producer) |
| Famous film | Sholay (1975) |
| Spouse | Kiran Juneja (actress) |
| Son | Rohan Sippy (director) |
| Honour | Padma Shri (2013) |
Early Life
Ramesh Sippy was born in Karachi to the film producer G. P. Sippy, whose family moved to Bombay after Partition. As a child he appeared briefly in Shree 420 (1955). He worked behind the scenes on his father’s productions before directing.
Career
Sippy’s debut, Andaz (1971), was a success. Seeta Aur Geeta (1972), in which Hema Malini played twins separated at birth, was a blockbuster.
Sholay (1975), a “curry western” starring Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjeev Kumar, Hema Malini and Amjad Khan as the bandit Gabbar Singh, started slowly at the box office. It then became one of the biggest hits in Indian history and ran for years at Mumbai’s Minerva theatre. Its dialogues and characters remain part of everyday Indian culture.
Sippy directed Shaan (1980), Shakti (1982), which brought together Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan and won the Filmfare Award for Best Film, and Saagar (1985). His TV serial Buniyaad (1986–87), about a family through Partition, became a landmark of Indian television. He later founded the Ramesh Sippy Academy of Cinema and Entertainment.
Personal Life
Sippy’s son from his first marriage, Rohan Sippy, is a film director. Ramesh Sippy later married the actress Kiran Juneja.
Selected Filmography
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Ramesh Sippy born?
Ramesh Sippy was born on 23 January 1947 in Karachi, Sindh (now in Pakistan).
