Bazaar

Bazaar

Year: 1982

Runtime: 121 mins

Language: Hindi

Director: Sagar Sarhadi

Drama

Najma harbors a deep, platonic love for Salim Akhtar, yet she refuses to marry him until he can provide financial security. When the elderly Shakir offers to fund Salim’s new business venture, he attaches a condition: Najma must locate a suitable bride for him, forcing her to balance loyalty, societal expectations, and her own heart.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Bazaar (1982)

Trace every key event in Bazaar (1982) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Najma's Mumbai flat and Akhtar's visit

The film opens with Najma preparing in a Mumbai flat as Akhtar Hussain visits. He explains the pressures of an arranged marriage and says he must earn on his own to marry her. He mentions Shakir Khan's promised help and the flat's arrangement, while Najma recalls her family's past and the shame she felt when forced to sell herself. A flashback hints at a prior attempt to run away with Akhtar.

Evening / Night Mumbai, Najma's flat
2

Salim's arrival and declaration of love

The next morning Salim, a renowned poet, visits Najma and reiterates his six-year love for her. He argues that Akhtar merely uses Najma for nights and has no intention of marrying her. He warns that Najma is living a life of lies in the eyes of society. The confrontation deepens Najma's sense of entrapment and moral doubt.

Next morning Najma's flat, Mumbai
3

Shakir Khan arrives and outlines a plan

Najma and Akhtar receive Shakir Khan at the airport. He questions Akhtar's whereabouts and signals his interest in helping them by marrying a woman like Najma. He reveals his wish to marry a bride from Hyderabad and asks Najma to find one, setting the stage for a larger arrangement. The meeting hints at power and money guiding their fates.

Following day Airport, Mumbai
4

Party demands and Shakir's painful past

Shakir asks Najma to host a party where he privately confesses his longing for a wife and a sense of home. A flashback shows his abusive wife and children, explaining why he seeks a bride through Najma. He pressures Najma to locate a suitable bride from Hyderabad to secure his family life. The episode reveals the personal cost of his ambitions.

Evening Najma's residence, Mumbai
5

Hyderabad romance: Sarju and Shabnam

The story shifts to Hyderabad, where Sarju and Shabnam fall in love. Nasreen secretly loves Sarju and helps arrange a meeting, while keeping her own feelings hidden. The lovers face social and familial obstacles as Najma's wedding plans loom in the background. The city's mood underscores the pressure to marry for money.

Present / ongoing Hyderabad
6

Najma prepares for the Hyderabad wedding

Najma buys jewellery and other items for the wedding, and the Mumbai wedding party travels toward Hyderabad. A flashback shows Salim's past visits to Najma in Hyderabad and her repeated refusals to marry him. The sequence highlights Najma's inner conflict between love, duty, and economic necessity.

Travel / flashback sequence Train journey to Hyderabad
7

Shabnam's prospects and Hajjan Bi's role

In Hyderabad, Shabnam's mother cannot afford a good match, and Hajjan Bi promises to help when a suitable opportunity arises. Najma searches for a bride among the poor, witnessing girls displayed as prospects for money. The visit intensifies Najma's discomfort with the plan and the social marketplace she is part of.

Evening Hyderabad, Shabnam's home
8

The wedding plan: Shabnam as a bride for Shakir

During a gathering with the Mumbai wedding party, Shabnam's wedding is proposed to Shakir Khan. Shabnam is barely sixteen, shocking Najma. Akhtar urges Najma to push the arrangement forward, arguing poverty will force families to accept, while Salim protests the commodification of brides.

Evening / wedding planning Hyderabad / wedding venue
9

Sarju confronts the parents; Najma's guilt grows

Sarju learns of the planned wedding and confronts Shabnam's parents about auctioning her happiness. He vows to stop the wedding or harm himself, while Najma begins to feel the harm she has helped cause. Salim condemns the system, emphasizing that marriage is a form of selling people for survival.

Just before the wedding Hyderabad, wedding venue
10

Shabnam's marriage and the tragedy

Shabnam is married to Shakir Khan despite her protests. She goes to the mazaar to untie the thread of her wish, but soon poisons herself. The wedding night reveals Shabnam's body on the bridal bed, devastating Sarju and the party. Najma feels immense guilt for her role in orchestrating the arrangement.

Wedding night Hyderabad, wedding night / mazaar
11

Najma confesses to Salim on the train

On the return journey to Mumbai, Najma tells Salim about Shabnam's death and the consequences of the wedding scheme. She openly owns up to her part in orchestrating the match and the harm it caused. The moment marks a personal reckoning as she confronts the reality of her actions.

End of Hyderabad arc Train to Mumbai
12

Final reckoning and resolve

Back in Mumbai, Najma rejects Akhtar, recognizing that he could betray her for money again. Akhtar breaks down, realizing he has been ruined by his ambitions. Najma accepts responsibility for her role and resolves to seek a different path, acknowledging the damage done by the money-driven schemes.

Post-train / aftermath Mumbai

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:50

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