‘Sholay’ Actor Mac Mohan Gets Documentary ‘Discovering Sambha’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Emmy-nominated filmmaker Manjari Makijany (“Spin,” “Skater Girl”) will direct “Discovering Sambha,” a feature documentary on her father, Indian character actor Mac Mohan, with sister Vinati Makijany producing. The project is structured as an official India-Australia co-production, with production set to begin later this year and a release targeted for 2027.

The project was unveiled at the Cannes Film Festival.

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Mac Mohan built a career spanning more than 50 years and over 280 films, among them “Don,” “Shaan,” “Karz,” “Zanjeer,” “Satte Pe Satta,” “Trishul,” “Khoon Pasina,” “Rafoo Chakkar” and “Khuddar.” He earned lasting cultural recognition as Sambha, the laconic henchman in Ramesh Sippy’s 1975 blockbuster “Sholay,” a role that has kept his name a household word across generations.

“Discovering Sambha” will draw on archival material, family recollections and reflections from colleagues, exploring themes of identity, legacy and the relationship between cinema and personal memory. Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, founder and director of the Film Heritage Foundation, which restored “Sholay” recently, has joined as an advisor.

“Mac Mohan has a fan following of his own as much as the heroes of his day. No matter how big or small the role, he left an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of the people who continue to watch these films even today and remember him and the roles he played with great fondness,” Dungarpur said.

Manjari Makijany leads Asia Pacific Pictures alongside producer Emmanuel Pappas (“Maya”), a banner focused on film, documentary and television projects across Australia, India and the wider Asia Pacific region. Vinati Makijany (“The Theory of Spice”) runs Mac Productions, the company originally established by Mac Mohan.

“For much of the world, my father was Sambha. There’s so much to him that I’m still discovering through people that knew him before me. This may be the most cathartic process of filmmaking for me. As a daughter, I’m piecing together memories, absences, and emotions with my sister that shaped our lives and influenced my own filmmaking journey. This film is an intimate story about rediscovering the man I miss the most, my father,” director Manjari Makijany said.

“Our father belonged to audiences long before he belonged to us. Through this documentary we hope to create something emotionally honest and universally relatable – not only for people who grew up with ‘Sholay,’ but for anyone who has ever tried to understand a parent, preserve a legacy, or reconnect with family history through memory and storytelling,” producer Vinati Makijany added.

Bollywood actor Raveena Tandon, Mac Mohan’s niece, said: “Mohan mama carried so much grace and humility. His presence filled every room with laughter and stories. Though he played the quintessential baddie on screen, he was a golden-hearted señor and one of the warmest people you could know in real life. I’m proud of what Manjari and Vinati are doing. They are not just preserving the legacy of an actor, but the spirit of the man we all knew behind the screen. This documentary will allow audiences to discover a side of him that was personal, emotional, and beautifully human.”

“There is something deeply moving about children rediscovering their father not only as a parent, but as a cultural memory shared by millions,” Pappas added.

Shehzad Sippy of Sippy Films, whose family produced “Sholay,” said: “The characters and world of ‘Sholay’ continue to resonate across generations and geographies. Sambha remains one of the most recognizable characters in Indian cinema, and Mac Mohan brought a unique screen presence that audiences never forgot. We are pleased to see his story being revisited through the perspective of his daughters in a way that is intimate, respectful, and emotionally meaningful.”