Mumbai's Kaali Peeli Taxis go off-road; Bollywood movies, songs that made Premier Padmini iconic

The Kaali Peeli Premier Padmini in Mumbai was once the luxury that the common people tried only when it was necessary. Nevertheless, the iconic taxis have been serving the economic capital of India for more than 60 years and finally will be off-road on October 30. While the typical taxis will forever remain in the minds of the Mumbaikars, even those who have never lived or been to Mumbai have a certain affinity towards them as these taxis have been widely used in many Bollywood movies and songs.

Iconic Bollywood songs and movies in Kaali Peeli taxi

The taxi has been a part of Bollywood movies ever since it was introduced during the late 60s. The few songs that were shot in the taxi include Navin Nischol and Priya Rajvansh’s “Tum Jo Mil Gaye Ho” from Hanste Zakham and “Kai Baar Yuhi Dekha Hai” from Rajnigandha.

There were a few lesser-known songs as well during the ’70s and '80s that featured Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan, and many other big stars such as “Jeevan Mein Humsafar” from the movie Taxi Taxie featuring Rama Vij and Amol Palekar, “Kal Raat Sadak Par Ek Ladki” picturised on Zeenat Aman and Rajesh Khanna, and “Hat Ja Babu Nahi toh” from Amitabh Bachchan’s Khuddar.

Meter Down, Down, Down......

Shah Rukh Khan’s “Badi Mushkil Hai” from Anjaam was partially shot in a taxi with the King Khan performing various antics on the black and yellow taxi’s roof. The famous taxi also received a lot of attention in Sridevi-led Chaalbaaz where Rajinikanth played the role of a taxi driver. And even before that Farooq Sheikh driving a taxi on the streets of Mumbai depicting the loneliness through “Seene Mein Jalan” in Gaman was simply unforgettable.

But the most remembered movie with the taxi playing an important role is John Abraham and Nana Patekar’s Taxi No. 9211. Both the movie and its song “Meter Down, Down” now have a cult following. And of course, the role of Ranveer Singh as a taxi driver in Gully Boy had ample scope to parade the Kaali Peeli Premier Padmini all through the movie.

Love life update: Still crushing on
#JohnAbraham from Taxi No 9211😍❤ pic.twitter.com/RKy6kxYxbH

— K (@Buttercup1458) January 29, 2022

The Ananya Panday and Ishaan Khatter movie “Khaali Peeli” is also based on the life of a taxi driver and has a few interesting shots of the iconic taxi.

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Watch the #MegaMovieOfTheMonth Khaali Peeli on Sunday, 26th February at 11 AM only on Zing 🌟
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.#MegaMovieOfTheMonth #KhaaliPeeli #AnanyaPanday #IshaanKhatter #Bollywood #Movie pic.twitter.com/z6bMrGeFci

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Taxis were also used in Dev Anand ’s Taxi Driver and Guru Dutt’s Aar Paar for the song “Yeh Loh Main.” However, for both these songs, a different type of taxi was used. While director Chetan Anand used a black Hillman Minx for Taxi Driver, Guru Dutt drove a Chevrolet in Aar Paar.

Dev Anand's taxi in movie #TaxiDriver by #ChetanAnand was British made Hillman Minx, a black car with the number 1111. Such became the popularity following the film,that British made Hillman Minx became a vehicle of choice as a taxi in Bombay until 1970s#DevAnand #KalpanaKartik pic.twitter.com/itOjTHLxDz

— Swati Bhattacharya (@Jishnusc) December 3, 2017

The movie Taxi Driver was a big hit and so was its taxi which was used as a regular taxi in Mumbai for many years until the black and yellow Premier Padmini became a rage.