Chandni Bar (2001)

In the tumultuous aftermath of the 1985 communal riots in Sitapur, U.P., young Mumtaz (Tabu) finds herself orphaned, her home reduced to ashes. She is whisked away to the sprawling metropolis of Bombay by her sole surviving kin, the well-intentioned but flawed Irfan Mamu (Suhas Palsikar). There, they cross paths with Iqbal Chamdi (Rajpal Yadav), a resourceful denizen who secures their lodging and arranges employment for Mumtaz in the shimmering world of Chandni Bar as a dancer. Promised that this debasement is merely temporary, Mumtaz, a girl of quiet dignity, grudgingly submerges herself into a life of flirtation and performance. However, her uncle's assurances prove hollow. Irfan squanders her hard-earned money on alcohol, remaining jobless and eventually committing an unthinkable, unforgivable act of violation against Mumtaz. Her plight captures the attention of notorious gangster Potya Sawant (Atul Kulkarni), who, moved by her story, avenges her honor in a brutal fashion. With Irfan out of the picture, Mumtaz, now vulnerable in the treacherous underbelly of the city, weds Potya. Together, they bring two children into this tempestuous world - Abhay and Payal. Determined to shield them from the seedy life she's been thrust into, she leaves the bar, focusing on providing them with a wholesome upbringing and a shot at a better future. However, life deals her another cruel blow when Potya is killed, forcing Mumtaz to return to her old life at Chandni Bar, now as a waitress, to keep the wolves at bay. As the years roll on, the sinister claws of their surroundings begin to tighten around her children. Abhay falls into the clutches of the law, arrested for extortion, and Mumtaz is plunged into a desperate race against time to gather the ransom for his release, even resorting to selling her body. The tragic twist comes when Payal, following in her mother's footsteps, takes to dancing at Chandni Bar to cover the shortfall. With the money in hand, Abhay is freed, but he returns a changed person - hardened, ruthless, and hungry for retribution. As her children's lives spiral uncontrollably, Mumtaz is left grappling with a horrifying reality - her son's transformation into a cold-blooded gangster and the legacy of Chandni Bar continuing through her daughter. The story of Chandni Bar is a raw, gripping tale of survival, sacrifice, and the cyclical nature of destiny in the unforgiving world of the Mumbai underworld.

Chandni Bar is a crime movie featuring Tabu.

Chandni Bar is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.