Loved Jubilee? You must watch these ‘Bombay noir’ classics!
Team OTTplay
Apr 22, 2023
Starting a trend
Guru Dutt is often credited with introducing the elements of ‘clubs, crime and cabaret’ in Hindi cinema, back in the early 1950s
'Bombay noir’
Although mostly inspired by the 40s film noir Hollywood, ‘Bombay noir’ movies were Indianised in approach and treatment
Rolling back the clock with Jubilee
Vikramaditya Motwane’s hit 10-episode Amazon Prime Video series, Jubilee, transports you to the golden era of Hindi cinema. Here’s a look at some of the noir-style classics…
Baazi (1951)
Directed by Guru Dutt, Baazi started ‘Bombay Noir’ as a genre. Starring Dev Anand, Geeta Bali and Kalpana Kartik, the 1951 crime thriller was also a musical delight
Jaal (1952)
Another Guru Dutt directorial, Jaal was a crime noir classic released in 1952. Starring Dev Anand and Geeta Bali, the film is known for its grey characters and iconic songs
Aar Paar (1954)
A noir comedy film, Aar Paar was helmed by Guru Dutt. The 1954 movie also starred Shyama, Shakila and Johnny Walker. Its music was composed by OP Nayyar
Taxi Driver (1954)
Chetan Anand-directed Taxi Driver (1954) features an ambiguous hero (Dev Anand), a seductive club dancer (Sheila Ramani) and a damsel in distress (Kalpana Kartik)
Shree 420 (1955)
A noir comedy, starring Nargis Dutt and a ‘Chaplinesque’ Raj Kapoor, Shree 420 was a blockbuster hit. The 1955 movie is still remembered for its iconic songs
C.I.D. (1956)
Featuring Dev Anand, Shakila and Waheeda Rehman as lead characters, C.I.D. (1956) was a crime thriller film, helmed by Raj Khosla. Its songs were smash hits
Howrah Bridge (1958)
Who can forget Madhubala as cabaret dancer Edna in Shakti Samanta’s 1958 crime thriller film Howrah Bridge! The movie also starred Ashok Kumar and KN Singh
China Town (1962)
Another musical hit, China Town featured Shammi Kapoor in a double role, alongside Shakila and Helen. The 1962 romantic thriller film was directed by Shakti Samanta