Bazaar

Bazaar, as the title suggests, depicts a market, just that this market takes place in the homes of poor Hyderabadi Muslim families unable to afford a decent marriage for their young daughters. As a resort, if they're lucky enough to have pretty enough girls, they force them into marriage in exchange for money. Indeed, this film tackles the harrowing practice of bride shopping, and it is absolutely disgusting. Smita Patil plays a woman who was once sold herself, just not into marriage but a physical relationship. Such is the lot of women in these primitive regions. Now living in the big city, she does what may help her secure a marriage with her live-in partner - find a good bride back in her village for the man who sponsors her fiance and their housing.

The film explores brutal realities, and it does so with pathos and conviction, although at times something is missing. Bazaar is what they call an art film, but it is a little less 'artsy' than other so-called parallel films. On the one hand, it is charged with an engaging atmosphere of authenticity, with limited background score, realistic cinematography and a setting that feels very much real nad lifelike. On the other, it's a little melodramatic, it has the occasional use of certain mainstream ingredients, and it has music (although not many songs). And speaking of music, one has to stop for a second to just express how beautiful it is. The legendary Khayyam is responsible for this magic, which culminates in "Dikhayee Diye Yun", a stupendous, melodious number.

The acting is mostly good. Smita Patil leads the cast with an emotional performance as a woman lost in her own troubled world, conflicted about her past, present, and the consequences of the callous actions she took for her own survival. In one scene she speaks on the phone by the cupboard and throws a casual glance in the mirror in it to fix her hair. This is how detailed her acting was. Cast opposite her in a rather unexpected casting choice is Bharat Kapoor, who is just about okay. Also here and seemingly sidelined with a secondary role of a mere spectator is Naseeruddin Shah, who gives it meaning and relevance in a deeply effective and understated performance, doing much with his eyes and sometimes just his presence alone.

The film has many character actors, among whom Sulabha Deshpande is credible as the mother who sells her daughter. Also hateful for his role but very weak in his performance is B. L. Chopra as the buyer. Shaukat Kaifi is successfully unsympathetic just as she was in Umrao Jaan (and it's quite amazing how much her daughter Shabana Azmi has come to resemble her these days). Farooq Sheikh is plain excellent as the kind, heartbroken guy whose beloved is taken away from him. And last but certainly not least, the amazingly pretty Supriya Pathak utterly steals the show in a believably raw performance as the bride for sale. Bazaar, although interesting, is not perfect, but it is her portrayal which gives the film its heartbreaking, disturbing tone.

Baazaar (1982) represents the true story of numerous unfortunate (Muslim) girls who are virtually sold to the rich people in the Gulf under the camouflage of marriage by their poor parents / guardians. These unfortunate girls thereafter remain accursed to spend their entire life with much older 'husbands' or according to their dictates. This Baazaar (market) is actually the market of their poverty; their helplessness, to be accurate. Most of such so-called marriages which are nothing but the selling of the girls only (marriage being just a decent name for the flesh-trade) take place in Hyderabad.

This movie narrates the selling of the helplessness of a very young and innocent girl - Shabnam (Supriya Paathak) who comes from a poor family and is in love with a poor boy - Sarju (Farooq Sheikh). Her parents finalize the 'deal' of her so-called marriage with a rich old man from Dubai who has arrived at Hyderabad only for this 'marriage'. In finding a suitable girl for him, he is helped by Akhtar Hussain (Bharat Kapoor) who is going to get money for this purpose plus Najma (Smita Patil) who had run away from her home with him because of her parents' also being ready to throw into such a hell only on account of their poverty. Najma herself has been in love with a thinker and Shaayar (Urdu poet) - Salim (Nasiruddin Shah) but their love is platonic. Najma had opted to run away from her parental home with Akhtar and accepted the live-in relationship with him because she was not able to spend her life with Salim and Akhtar had assured her that as soon as he got enough money, he would marry her. Now Najma also becomes a part of this selling-out of Shabnam alongwith Akhtar under the hope that by getting money for that, Akhtar will be able to marry her. Najma is not aware of the fact that Shabnam is in love with Sarju who is Najma's deemed brother. When she realizes her mistake, it's too late. Just too late !

Writer-director Saagar Sarhadi has made a brilliant movie with a modest production value. Even the colours of this coloured movie have got faded out in the prints available now. But one thing is intact. The soul of the movie. This movie is not to be watched by eyes and ears (the songs being immortal ones and the dialogs being the heart-piercing ones) but by the soul. Just visualize the real life plight of hundreds of such poor (Muslim) girls whom none cares for once they are sold out and 'delivered'. They are considered like the animals whose flesh is sold for the consumption of the non-vegetarians. They are not self-sufficient. They are not independent. Hence helpless. And their helplessness gets easily sold out to those who may not be worthy of becoming their husbands but who are wealthy enough to buy that helplessness from their guardians. The girls are just commodities whose selling consideration is also not theirs, it goes into the hands of their guardians.

Baazaar is a realistic movie which penetrates the viewer's heart like anything and makes him / her realize the cruel reality prevailing in our country. There has not been any political or social will shown over the years to abolish this market. The deals have been going on, just going on ! Even the tears of the girls (a majority of them are minor by age) dry up but the stony hearts of the buyers and the sellers do not exude. Everything of this soul-crushing phenomena has been portrayed with utmost realism in this movie through a touching love story (of Sarju and Shabnam) which is destined to go the tragic way. The sentimental love story with the horrifying reality has been blended well with the Shaayari (Urdu poetry) and the melodious music, giving the movie a unique form and rendering it a cult status.

Baazaar highlights the irony of so-called religious customs and the significance given to the so-called giving of tongue (solemn promise made, not to be broken) which are nothing but the subterfuge for ensuring that the deal for giving the girl ultimately materializes and no eleventh hour development is able to stop it. Hollow excuses are painfully furnished to destroy the life of innocent girls whose parents / guardians are not ready to take their steps back despite knowing very well that they are thrusting their girl into hell.

Khayyam's music with the great Urdu poetry created by Mir Taqi Mir, Mirza Shauq, Makhdoom Mohiuddin, Bashar Nawaz etc. is immortal, consisting of classic Ghazals and Nazms like Dikhaai Diye Yun Ki Bekhud Kiya, Karoge Yaad To Har Baat Yaad Aayegi, Dekh Lo Aaj Hum Ko Jee Bhar Ke, Phir Chhidi Raat Baat Phoolon Ki etc.

Towering performances have been delivered by the great artists of Indian cinema viz. Nasiruddin Shah, Smita Patil and Farooq Sheikh. These are the actors who have redefined the art of acting and Baazaar is a showcase of their abilities. However the heart-conqueror is Supriya Paathak who won the Filmfare award for the best supporting actress for her role of Shabnam in this movie.The complete supporting cast involving actors like Bharat Kapoor, Nisha Singh (as Shabnam's friend - Nasreen), Sulbha Deshpande, Yunus Parvez, Shaukat Aazmi, B.L. Chopra, Jaaved Khan etc. has done exceedingly well.

I end this review with a dialog from the final meeting of Sarju and Shabnam in the movie (just before the song - Dekh Lo Aaj Humko Jee Bhar Ke). Sarju says, 'Agar Hum Gharib Na Hote To Humko Koi Bhi Juda Nahin Kar Sakta Tha Na ?' (None could have separated us had we not been poor). And Shabnam replies, Haan, Tab Hamko Koi Bhi Juda Nahin Kar Sakta Tha' (Yes, then none could have separated us).

The city of Hyderabad has metamorphosed into a market. What exactly is on display here? Young, gullible girls from impoverished families. And who is the buyer? Rich, influential men who are old enough to be their fathers. Society recognizes this as a "marriage" since due protocol is followed. But we, as viewers, are convinced that this certainly isn't a union of two souls, but is a commercial transaction. #Bazaar1982 may have been released in 1982, but is relevant even today. The film boasts of amazing performances by Smita Patil, Supriya Pathak and BL Chopra. Music by Khayyam is superlative. Long after you leave the theatre, the Lata Mangeshkar and Talat Aziz song "phir chidi raat baat phoolon ki" will remain in your head. Please watch it on priority. Rating 4/5.

Bazaar is an excellent movie made in 1982. Sarju and Shabnam are in love but their love story end with such a tragedy that makes you think that socially acceptable and institutional ways of defining and allowing human relationship very often end up destroying the meaning of relationship itself.

Set up of the movie is typical lower class Indian society. Najma and Salim are also in platonic relationship. Salim is a writer and a thinker while Najma is a beautiful and young woman from a withered Nawab family. Due to bad financial situation her mother is asking her to trade her body to feed the family. Najma, who doesn't accept that, runs away with another man (Akhter) to Bombay. But her mental situation is never still since she loves her family but is not ready to sacrifice her youth for them. Although is a good man and he is also interested in marrying her and but his middle aged boss wants Najma and Akhter to look for a bride for him. In order to save his job and apartment Akhter persuades Najma to do something that leads to destruction of Sarju and Shabnam's love story.

Scenes from Hyderabad city in which poor parents are ready to do anything to get their daughter married are very impressive and well. All actors are very good, script, songs and costumes are fabulous. This movie was very advanced in its time of release. Even after 23 years since it release a large section of Indian society has not got the message of the movie. Western societies despite their own disadvantages are much much better systems in the perspective of this movie. Even today, girl child is seen as a burden in Indian society. Concept of single moms and even single parent is just not acceptable. Girls are identified either from the father's name or her husband's name. There is no third way. She doesn't have an identity on her own.

Najma, in the end, after a discussion with Salim, realizes that she has to have her own identity which doesn't have to come from either Akhter (her potential husband) or her parents (who want to sell her body to live!). So, she say goodbye to Akhter and goes with Salim, perhaps to find her ways to wash off her part of sins she committed in order to gain identity from Akhter.

A must see movie, If you want to understand worst part of Indian society and its solid institutional ways of doing things which are so fragile and delicate that they often get crushed.

A bunch of 7 melodious songs will haunt you forever.

All the ugliness of society shown in it still exists.