If you choose to use window film you could fit it over the bottom 2 or three rows of panes which should give you privacy from people walking past and still allow light in.

Yes, iI am thinking privacy film, but, not sure how it would look with the lead look windows, and if iI should go for something pattternedpatterned. Any ideas greatly apl

I’d say keep it plain - with the small panes there’s enough going on already.

A cheaper option than shutters is wooden venetian blinds.

Have you considered a sheer roller blind?

I’d actually keep curtains as part of the solution here rather than replacing them entirely. With a window this wide, I’d hang them higher and extend the rod farther beyond the window on both sides. I’d also use fuller panels — the current ones look a little narrow for the width of the window.

Since privacy from the road is important, I’d consider layering sheer curtains with the main curtains. The sheers can give you some privacy during the day without blocking too much natural light, while the main curtains can be closed when you need full privacy.

I recently made a video showing how curtain height, length, fullness, fabric and color change the appearance of a room, including a $10 vs $50 curtain comparison. Some of the examples might be useful for this window:
https://youtu.be/zxl28NBfMEo