Karz

In Debt

1980 · India · 157 min

Director: Subhash Ghai
Screenplay: Sachin Bhowmick
Music: Laxmikant-Pyarelal

Cast

Rishi Kapoor

Simi Garewal

Tina Ambani

Pran

Mac Mohan

Pinchoo Kapoor

Raj Kiran

What it is about

Karz is a 1980 Hindi-language fantasy psychological thriller directed by Subhash Ghai. A young man who lost his life in a crime begins to recall a past existence through a familiar song. These memories lead him to a hill town, where he meets a woman and several people who keep secrets about his former family.

How it was made

The screenplay was written by Sachin Bhowmick, and Subhash Ghai directed, with music by Laxmikant-Pyarelal and lyrics by Anand Bakshi. Kishore Kumar sang for the lead character in almost all the songs, while Mohammed Rafi performed Dard-E-Dil. Two songs are built on the ragas Bhoopali and Alhaiya Bilaval. The reincarnation theme is often linked to The Reincarnation of Peter Proud (1975), which some critics cite as an influence.

Reception and legacy

It performed poorly at the box office and critics were harsh. In a 2008 interview, Subhash Ghai said the film was ahead of its time, and over the years it came to be regarded as a classic. Laxmikant-Pyarelal won the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director, and Simi Garewal was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. It inspired many remakes and adaptations, including Om Shanti Om (2007) and Karzzzz (2008).