Bazaar

About the film

Bazaar (transl. Market) is a 1982 Indian drama film directed by Sagar Sarhadi and starring Naseeruddin Shah, Farooq Shaikh, Smita Patil and Supriya Pathak. The film set in Hyderabad, India, highlights the issue of bride buying in India, through the tragedy of a young girl being sold by needy parents to affluent expatriate Indians in the Gulf.

Plot

The movie opens with Najma (Smita Patil) decking herself up in a flat in Mumbai. She soon entertains a guest, Akhtar Hussain, who turns out to be her love interest. He talks of an argument at his house with his father who had asked him to marry the daughter of an affluent cement factory owner. Akhtar claims that he refused the offer and had told his father that he will marry the woman of his choice. At being asked by Najma about when they would get married, Akhtar reveals that in order to marry against the wishes of the family it is necessary that he start earning his own living. He further assures the crestfallen Najma that one Shakir Khan, a middle-aged man working in the gulf area, who would soon be coming to their place, would help him with the money to set up some business. Najma is apprehensive of Shakir Khan's stay with her but Akhtar says that there is no other way as after all, the flat has been provided for by Shakir Khan himself. As the evening proceeds, it is revealed that Najma has received many letters from her home for the past six years however, she never reads them as she still hasn't forgiven her family for forcing her into selling herself in order to earn some money for the family. She had been willing to engage in some other work but her mother had insisted that the pride of the Nawaabs that they had once been would be tarnished if she becomes a working woma…

The next day Najma is visited by Salim, a renowned poet, who has been in love with her for the past six years; however, she hasn't accepted his love. The two share a friendly relationship and are very comfortable with each other. Salim once again reiterates that he often thinks about her and that though he couldn't marry her 6 years ago, he is quite capable of doing so today. Salim tells her that she is living a life of lies as Akhtar only visits her to spend the night and has no intention of marrying her.

Najma and Akhtar receive Shakir Khan at the airport. The next morning Shakir questions Najma on the whereabouts of Akhtar, hinting at the promiscuous nature of their relationship and eyeing Najma the whole time. Najma reaffirms her love for Akhtar at which Shakir says that he always wanted to see her settled and would be happy to help Akhtar in his endeavours. He further expresses his intention to marry a woman like her which leaves her a bit taken aback.

Soundtrack

Nearly a decade after the film's release, the song Karoge Yaad To Har Baat Yaad Aayegi was used in the 1995 album Saadgi.

In the beginning we hear a song "Hum unhein mata-e-koocha-o-bazar ki tarah" which is from the classic movie Dastak (1970 film)

In the party scene an old classic disco number 'Black is black' by Cerrone is heard playing.

Key details