Golden Era of Bollywood: G P Sippy- A carpet merchant to the maker of Sholay

Gopaldas Parmanand Sippy started off as a carpet merchant, turned a construction magnate and then plunged into filmmaking in 1951 with the Dev Anand film Sazaa. In a career spanning over five decades, Sippy had produced 17 films and directed six. In his heydays, he was known as Mr Blockbuster. But Sholay remains his landmark best.

He made Shahenshah in 1953, which was India's first full-length Gevacolor film and India's third full-length colour film. The film was made at a budget of Rs. 3 million and was made in 14 months.. After that, he made 12 O Clock with Guru Dutt and Waheeda Rehman in 1958.
He got the real big success with Mere Sanam (1965). starring Asha Parekh, Biswajeet, Pran, Rajendra Nath and Mumtaz. The film was a hit at the box office, especially because of the musical score by Majrooh Sultanpuri, O.P. Nayyar and the Asha Bhonsle-Mohammed Rafi combination.
In 1968 released his super hit film The film stars Shammi Kapoor, Rajshree, Pran, Mumtaz, Jagdeep, Sachin and Asit Sen. The music was by Shankar Jaikishan. The film became a box office hit and won several awards, including Filmfare Best Movie Award
The next year in 1969 his another hit film Bandhan starring Rajesh Khanna and Mumtaz.released.
It received five out of five stars in the Bollywood guide Collections and grossed 2,80,00,000 at the box office in 1969.

The next milestone film was Andaz 1971, it was directed by his son Ramesh Sippy and with this film emerged Salim Javed. Followed this super hit film another super duper hit came to Seeta Aur Geeta in 1972, once again directed by his son Ramesh Sippy and screenplay by Salim Javed.

In 1975 released the magnum opus Sholay all-time hit film. Once again directed by Ramesh Sippy and screenplay by Salim Javed. It was a big budget film Ramesh Sippy said in an interview that he did not have enough money to finance the film at that time and had to depend on his father late GP Sippy for it. He added it was pure luck that he asked for Rs 1 crore and got Rs 3 crore as his dad had just had a hit with Seeta Aur Geeta.

He continued to produced films till Hamesha 1997, in between he gave us films like Shaan (1980), Saagar (1985), Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman 1992.

He remained the President of the Film Federation of India (FFI) for many years, first 1972 - 73, 1985 – 86 and then 1988 - 1992. He was the Chairman of the Film and TV Producers Guild of India for several years and won the Filmfare Award in 1968 and 1982.

He died on December 25, 2007 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.