"I don't generally watch my old films, I get embarrassed. But yesterday I saw 'Sholay' again. When you see your old movies, meet old friends, there is a kind of nostalgia and sweetness in it," Akhtar told reporters Thursday at the trailer launch of "Sholay 3D".
"These kind of films happens only once in a century. 'Sholay' doesn't belong to us, we belong to 'Sholay'," he added.
Salim Khan said: "Yes, as Javed rightly said, 'Sholay' is still promoting us, even after so many years."
Javed Akhtar also thanked late G.P. Sippy, who produced "Sholay", which made new records when it came out in 1975.
He said: "I must thank G.P. Sippy, who used to think out of the box. He was the captain of the ship. He was a big-hearted person and a gambler. The film would have never been made without him."
Directed by Ramesh Sippy, the film starred Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan, Hema Malini and Amjad Khan.
"Sholay" has now been converted into 3D and it will come out in the new form Jan 3 next year.
