Baazaar

Moving to Mumbai in search of opportunity, a young newcomer lands a junior trader post with a notorious, intimidating businessman. The role opens doors to wealth, influence, and a dangerous insider world, but pulls him into a maze of risk and moral compromise. As he rises, loyalties blur and new rivals emerge, testing his judgment at every turn. The narrative plays out amid glittering offices, crowded trading floors, and after hours deals where each choice carries consequences and ambition wears many disguises.

Directed by Gauravv K Chawla, Baazaar arrived in 2018 as a gritty Mumbai set crime thriller. It rests on an original screenplay by Parveez Sheikh, Nikkhil Advani and Aseem Arora, delivering a look at finance that feels both glamorous and dangerous.

Box office performance was modest, drawing a mid tier audience of thrill seekers and Saif Ali Khan fans. It earned respect in certain markets for its glossy production and suspenseful moments, yet it did not become a breakout commercial hit.

The film is remembered for its slick depiction of stock trading life and the cat and mouse vibe between a young aspirant and a ruthless mentor. It contributes to a wave of stylish crime dramas centered on contemporary city life, and gives Saif Ali Khan a chance to play a calculating anti hero with restraint.

Reception and themes: Critics offered mixed notes, praising mood, atmosphere and performances while cautioning about pacing and some familiar beats. The story probes ambition and greed inside a world where money can corrupt relationships and blur lines between right and wrong. Saif Ali Khan brings a composed, dangerous energy to Shakun Kothari, supported by strong turns from Radhika Apte and Chitrangada Singh, grounding the drama in human stakes. Even as the plot treads familiar territory, Baazaar raises questions about power, ethics, and the price of chasing success.