Traffic Signal (2007)

In the pulsating heart of Bombay, amidst the ceaseless cacophony of blaring horns and the relentless bustle, a traffic signal at Sitaram Kelkar Marg near Mahim Railway Station breathes its own life. This is the realm of Silsila, a resilient street dweller baptized on the day of the release of the Bollywood movie of the same name. Raised in the arms of destitution, Silsila grows to reign over this quirky kingdom, his subjects a motley crew of beggars, pimps, transvestite prostitutes, and petty merchants. Silsila, functioning as the unofficial "manager" of the traffic signal, collects 'haftas' - weekly bribes - from those eking out a living here. Among his sundry clients are Noorie, a compassionate prostitute; Dominic D'Souza, a drug-addicted con-man; Gullu, a transvestite streetwalker; Manya, a crippled beggar; a meat shop worker child called Paaya; and Chinta Swami, a rag collector whose parents vanished in the Tsunami. Silsila's latest entrants are Rani and Chutki, sisters who hawk Gujarati-style clothes and jewelry. The collected haftas trickle upwards in the food chain, passing through Jaffar Patni, a local thug, to Baba Sheikh, the mafia kingpin, and finally to the city's corrupt politicians. The routine life at the traffic signal, a microcosm of the city's vibrant underbelly, is disrupted when Rasiklal, a builder, conspires with M.L.A. Dubey to construct a flyover to boost his flat sales. As their sinister plot unfolds, Silsila and his band of street-smart beggars unwittingly become accomplices in a murder, setting off a chain of events that threaten to uproot their very source of sustenance - the traffic signal. Caught in the crossfire of corruption, greed, and survival, Silsila faces a crucial crossroad. Will he stand mute, paralyzed by fear, or rise in protest against the forces that seek to destroy his world? Traffic Signal is a riveting tale of struggle in the belly of the urban jungle, where every day is a fight for existence, every signal change a countdown to survival.

Traffic Signal is a drama movie featuring Konkona Sen Sharma and directed by Madhur Bhandarkar.

Traffic Signal is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Tubi TV, Xumo Play and Yupp TV and it's also available on Hoopla.