He is a seminal figure in Hindi cinema, acclaimed as a director, producer, and occasional actor. He is best known for Sholay (1975), a film widely regarded by scholars and audiences as one of the most influential works in Indian cinematic history. Born in Karachi, then part of British India, Sippy is the son of noted producer G. P. Sippy. He is married to former actress Kiran Juneja and was previously married to Geeta, with whom he has three children. His son, Rohan Sippy, is a prominent film director, while his daughter Sheena was formerly married to Kunal Kapoor, son of Shashi Kapoor. Their son, Zahan Kapoor, has emerged as a promising actor in films and theatre. Sippy's engagement with cinema began early. At age six, he visited the sets of Sazaa, his father's first production. His first on-screen appearance came at age nine in Shahenshah (1953), in which he played Achala Sachdev's son. He went on to work across production and direction in films such as Johar-Mehmood in Goa and Mere Sanam. After seven years as an assistant director, he made his directorial debut with Andaz (1971), followed by the blockbuster Seeta Aur Geeta (1972), which catapulted Hema Malini to superstardom. Sholay, released in 1975, became Sippy's magnum opus. Featuring an ensemble cast including Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjeev Kumar, Hema Malini, Jaya Bhaduri, and Amjad Khan—whose portrayal of Gabbar Singh became iconic—the film redefined Indian popular cinema. Initially slow at the box office, it evolved into the industry's biggest commercial success and remains a cultural landmark. Although later works such as Shaan (1980), Shakti (1982), and Saagar (1985) met with mixed commercial response, they reinforced Sippy's reputation for ambitious, genre-spanning filmmaking. He also achieved major success on television with the Partition-themed series Buniyaad (1986–87). After a hiatus from filmmaking, he returned with Shimla Mirchi, released on Netflix in 2020. A long-time collaborator of Amitabh Bachchan, Sippy has also produced several contemporary films, including those directed by his son. His honours include the Filmfare Best Film of 50 Years Award for Sholay (2005), the IIFA Award for Outstanding Contribution to Indian Cinema (2012), the Padma Shri (2013), and the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award (2020). In 2017, he founded the Ramesh Sippy Academy of Cinema & Entertainment in Mumbai.