Kala Bazar (‘Black Market’) is a 1960 Hindi crime film  produced by Dev Anand for Navketan Films. Written and directed by Vijay Anand. Film based on a man sells movie tickets on the black market, but starts to have a change of heart after he falls in love.  The story follows the template of a protagonist who takes the wrong path to make money and then realizes his mistake, for which he has to pay back.

Raghuveer (Dev Anand) is a poor bus conductor who is fired from the job after getting into an argument with a passenger. With an ailing mother (Leela Chitnis) and two younger siblings to take care of, Raghuveer doesn’t know how to provide for his family. When he passes by a cinema hall and sees Kalu (Rashid Khan) selling movie tickets, he gets an idea. Seeing that as a good source of quick money, he too decides to black market movie tickets. But for that, he needs capital to start with. So he robs Advocate Desai (Chetan Anand) of Rs 5000 and soon sets his own network of black marketers outside all prominent cinema-halls of Bombay.

He works with Kalu and at the premiere of Mother India, their tickets sell faster and faster as more film stars arrive. Finally, he sells his last ticket for 100 rupees when one ticket cost only 2 rupees. Alka (Waheeda Rehman) finds out that her friends bought them in black, and tears the tickets as she hates black marketing. This has a great impact on Raghuveer and he gets attracted towards Alka, who is standing nearby and watching. She was in love with her boyfriend, Nand Kumar Chattopadhyay (Vijay Anand) who promises her not to do it again. His feelings towards her makes him a changed man and he gives up the path of black marketing.

Mehboob Khan gave permission to the Anand brothers to not only shoot the red carpet event of the grand premiere of “Mother India” but also include the footage in the movie. Dev Anand’s character and his gang is seen selling the tickets to the premiere in black outside the cinema hall as the crowd gets enamored and blown away by the Bollywood royalty making their graceful appearances one by one outside the hall. The lineup of superstars at the event included Nimmi, Nadira, Guru Dutt, Geeta Dutt, Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar, Kumkum, Sohrab Modi, Mohammed Rafi, Rajendra Kumar,  Mehboob Khan, Yakub, Raaj Kumar, Naseem Banu, Dilip Kumar and Nargis. Seeing so many iconic stars of the golden age together was a unique visual treat, especially since this was also a rare glimpse of a once in a lifetime star studded premiere of one of India’s greatest movies of all time. This five minute sequence of cameos is definitely tough to top.

Vijay Anand’s direction and attention to small details contribute to make the movie memorable. Film much ahead of it’s time and deals the sensitivity of human relations very carefully.  Lovely lyrics penned by Shailendra have been remarkably composed by Burman Da and have been outstandingly picturised by Goldie. Movie gives social message that every person has right to change himself or herself from living a dishonest life to honest life and the society should view this step sympathetically. Movie illustrates how money and corruption fray a man’s soul. It has refreshing mature attitude about love and relationships. Film captures unique madness. Director to make use of their genius, every actor played his part in a compoed manner. Film is indeed a timless classic.

Film featured all three Anand brothers , the eldest Chetan Anand plays a lawyer who triggers both Raghu’s corruption and his redemption, for the only time in history. It also marked the first collaboration between music maestro S.D. Burman and poet Shailendra resulting in the romantic song “Khoya Khoya Chand, Khula Aasmaan” sets up to tempo and marked the beginning of one of the finest musical partnerships of the Golden Age. In the song ‘Apnito Aah Ek Toofan Hai’ teasingly referring to Waheeda. ‘Rimjhim Ke Tarane’, a rain song duet sung by Rafi and Geeta Dutt,

There are glorious shots of Marine Drive, and scenes set in Mumbai’s iconic theatres Metro and Liberty by Cinematographer V. Ratra.

“Do Ka Char, Paanch Ka Dus”….Tickets being sold in black, an unheard phenomenon in these times of Multiplexes, tele and online bookings. The opening sequences of “Kala Bazar” are enchanting, bringing fond memories of a glorious era, when cinema was a huge source of diversion from mundane moments of life.

Dev Anand and Waheeda Rehman come together to create magic in this black and white tribute to entertainment on screen. There is not a dull moment in this slick movie that carried a strong social message on the importance of education.

Waheeda has never been more beautiful than in this film, and she can tie her seductive silk saris tighter than anyone else. She is not only allowed to fall in love twice, but, as a sensible, educated character, is not asked to sacrifice herself pointlessly for an unworthy man. Dev Anand’s ambiguous hero has unambiguous cool—he wears a bordered paisley scarf with his suit coat to great effect. His jaunty walk and confident mannerisms were just right in portraying such characters.

Photos courtesy Google. Excerpts taken from Google.