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By:

Rajeev Puri

24 October 2024 at 5:11:37 am

Before Sholay, there was Mera Gaon Mera Desh

When the comedian and television host Kapil Sharma recently welcomed the veteran screenwriter Salim Khan onto his show, he made a striking claim. India, he joked, has a national bird and a national animal; it ought also to have a national film. That film, he suggested, would surely be Sholay. Few would quarrel with the sentiment. Released in 1975 and directed by Ramesh Sippy,  Sholay  has long been treated as the Everest of Hindi popular cinema -quoted endlessly, revisited by generations and...

Before Sholay, there was Mera Gaon Mera Desh

When the comedian and television host Kapil Sharma recently welcomed the veteran screenwriter Salim Khan onto his show, he made a striking claim. India, he joked, has a national bird and a national animal; it ought also to have a national film. That film, he suggested, would surely be Sholay. Few would quarrel with the sentiment. Released in 1975 and directed by Ramesh Sippy,  Sholay  has long been treated as the Everest of Hindi popular cinema -quoted endlessly, revisited by generations and dissected by critics. In 2025, the film marked its 50th anniversary, and the release of a digitally restored, uncut version introduced the classic to a new generation of viewers who discovered that its mixture of revenge drama, western pastiche and buddy comedy remains curiously durable. The film’s influences have been debated almost as much as its dialogues – from scenes taken by the Spaghetti westerns of Sergio Leone, particularly ‘Once Upon a Time in the West’ (1968) or to the narrative architecture of ‘Seven Samurai’ (1954) by Akira Kurosawa. Others note echoes of earlier Hindi films about bandits and frontier justice, such as ‘Khotey Sikke’ (1973) starring Feroz Khan. Yet, rewatching ‘Mera Gaon Mera Desh,’ directed by Raj Khosla, one cannot help noticing how many of the narrative bones of  Sholay  appear to have been assembled there first. Released in 1971,  Mera Gaon Mera Desh  was a major hit at the box office, notable for holding its own in a year dominated by the near-hysterical popularity of Rajesh Khanna. The thematic framework of the two films is strikingly similar. In  Sholay , the retired policeman Thakur Baldev Singh recruits two petty criminals - Jai and Veeru - to help him avenge the terror inflicted upon his village by the bandit Gabbar Singh. In  Mera Gaon Mera Desh , the set-up is not very different. A retired soldier, Jaswant Singh, seeks to protect his village from a ruthless dacoit and enlists the help of a small-time crook named Ajit. Even the villain’s name seems to echo across the two films. In Khosla’s drama, the marauding bandit played by Vinod Khanna is scene-stealing performance is called Jabbar Singh. In  Sholay , the outlaw who would become one of Indian cinema’s most memorable antagonists was Gabbar Singh. There is an additional irony in the casting. In  Mera Gaon Mera Desh , the retired soldier Jaswant Singh is played by Jayant - the real-life father of Amjad Khan, who would later immortalise Gabbar Singh in  Sholay . The connective tissue between the two films becomes even clearer in the presence of Dharmendra. In Khosla’s film he plays Ajit, a charming rogue who gradually redeems himself while defending the village. Four years later, Dharmendra returned in  Sholay  as Veeru, a similarly exuberant petty criminal whose courage and irrepressible humour make him one half of Hindi cinema’s most beloved buddy duo alongside Amitabh Bachchan as Jai. Certain visual motifs also appear to have travelled intact. In Khosla’s film, Ajit finds himself bound in ropes in the bandit’s den during a dramatic musical sequence. A similar image appears in  Sholay , where Veeru is tied up before Gabbar Singh while Basanti performs the now famous song ‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan.’ Other echoes are subtler but just as suggestive. Ajit’s pursuit of the village belle Anju, played by Asha Parekh, anticipates Veeru’s boisterous attempts to woo Basanti, portrayed by Hema Malini. Scenes in which Ajit teaches Anju to shoot recall the flirtatious gun-training sequence between Veeru and Basanti that became one of  Sholay ’s most cherished moments. Even the famous coin motif has a precedent. Ajit frequently tosses a coin to make decisions - a flourish that would later appear in  Sholay , where Jai’s coin toss becomes a running gag. Perhaps most intriguingly, the endings of the two films converge in their original form. In  Mera Gaon Mera Desh , the villain is ultimately killed by the hero. The uncut version of  Sholay  reportedly ended in a similar fashion, with Gabbar Singh meeting his death at the hands of Thakur Baldev Singh. However, censors altered the climax before the film’s 1975 release, requiring that Gabbar be handed over to the police instead. All this does not diminish  Sholay . Rather, it highlights the alchemy through which cinema evolves. The scriptwriting duo Salim–Javed took familiar ingredients and expanded them into a grander narrative populated by unforgettable characters and stylised action. On the 55 th  anniversary of  Mera Gaon Mera Desh , Raj Khosla’s rugged western deserves a renewed glance as the sturdy foundation on which a legend called  Sholay  was built. (The author is a political commentator and a global affairs observer. Views personal.)

Lessons from Sweden: Is 'ONOE' the Future for India?

Updated: Dec 23, 2024

Sweden

Sweden holds combined municipal, county, and parliamentary elections every four years. Voters can choose to vote for a party, candidate, or both. Early voting is available nationwide for those unable to vote at their designated polling station. Non-Swedish residents living in Sweden for over three years can vote in municipal and county elections. Elections are held on the second Sunday of September, with the next one on September 13, 2026, from 08:00 to 20:00. Early voting starts 18 days prior, on August 24. To gain representation, parties must secure at least 4% of the national vote or 12% in a single constituency.


To vote, you must be at least 18 by Election Day (September 13, 2026), a Swedish citizen, and have been registered in Sweden. Non-Swedish citizens can vote in municipal and county elections if they’ve lived in Sweden for at least three years. Swedish citizens abroad can vote in parliamentary and European elections but must renew their registration every 10 years.


Voting options include voting at an embassy or consulate with a valid ID (such as a Swedish passport or ID card). If you don't have one, someone else can certify your identity. Alternatively, you can vote by mail by requesting postal voting materials from Swedish authorities or embassies. Votes must be sent no earlier than 45 days before Election Day and received by the day before the election, which also confirms your voter registration.


Thirty days before the election, a voter list is created, and each voter receives a ballot card with polling station details. Voters must bring this card or a valid ID to vote. If the card is lost, a duplicate can be obtained from the municipality, county board, or early voting locations.


Early Voting

Early voting is available nationwide 18 days before the election. Some municipalities may require you to bring your own ballot papers. To vote early, bring your ballot card and a valid ID; someone can certify your identity if needed. If you change your mind, you can vote again on Election Day, with the new vote overriding the earlier one.


Where can I vote in the 2026 election?

As a voter, you're assigned to a specific election district based on your National Account Address. On Election Day, you vote at the designated polling station for your district. Your voting card, sent by mail, shows your district and polling station details. Overseas Swedish voters need a special voting card to identify their polling station, as this information is not included on the foreign voting card.


How to Vote: Party or Candidate?

To vote, you can choose a party or a specific candidate. For a party, you can select a pre-printed ballot with the party's name, leave the candidate's box unticked on a ballot with both names, or write the party's name on a blank ballot. To vote for a candidate, tick their name if the party has multiple candidates, or write the candidate's name on a blank ballot if the party has none. If using a blank ballot, include the party's name as well.


Elections to the Riksdag

In Riksdag elections, you can only vote for candidates listed on the ballot papers for your parliamentary election. Some parties have nationwide ballots marked "The whole country," which can be used regardless of your constituency.


Elections to the Municipal and County Councils

For municipal and county council elections, use ballot papers specific to your municipality and county. While constituencies exist, you can vote for candidates from any constituency within your municipality or county. However, if you choose a candidate from another municipality or county, your vote will only count as a vote for the party in your area.


The Voting Process

At the polling station, ballots for all parties with at least 1% of votes from the last two elections will be available, along with blank ballots for missing parties. Envelopes are colour-coded: yellow for Riksdag, white for municipal council, and blue for county council elections. Behind the privacy screen, place one ballot per election in the corresponding envelope, marking a candidate’s name or writing in the party and candidate for blank ballots. Submit your sealed envelopes at the polling station.


What Happens to Your Ballot?

After presenting your voting card or ID, your vote is recorded, and envelopes are placed in secure boxes. Preliminary counts of Riksdag votes are conducted first, followed by municipal and county elections, with counts made public for transparency. On Wednesday, the electoral committee reviews any uncounted votes, and the county administrative board performs the final count, including late and postal votes.


Sweden’s combined elections offer an organised voting process with early voting, absentee ballots, and registration updates. This system could serve as a model for India’s "One Nation, One Election" initiative, potentially reducing logistical challenges, improving voter turnout, and maximising resources through streamlined elections.


(The author is an IT-professional. Views personal.)

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