Released over four decades ago, 'Karz', starring the late Rishi Kapoor, is remembered today for its music and unique storyline, despite being a box-office flop. Directed by Subhash Ghai, the film's failure deeply affected Kapoor, who later described this phase as one of “deep depression.”
Competition from 'Qurbani'
In his autobiography 'Khullam Khulla: Rishi Kapoor Uncensored', the actor shed light on the film's poor performance. He revealed that 'Qurbani', featuring Feroz Khan, Zeenat Aman, and Vinod Khanna, was released just a week after 'Karz'. The massive buzz around 'Qurbani' overshadowed 'Karz', leading Kapoor to write, “I lost my nerve, sinking into a deep depression.”
Rishi Kapoor's Struggles on Film Sets
The failure shook Kapoor's confidence to the core, making it difficult for him to continue working. He shared how the situation affected him both physically and emotionally. “I would tremble on the sets and feel faint. I’d sink into my chair, go to the makeup room and ask for water.” The 'Bobby' actor also revealed that facing the camera became a challenge, with fear and anxiety impacting his day-to-day work.
Personal Turmoil
This difficult phase coincided with his marriage to Neetu Kapoor. He began linking the film's failure with a drop in his popularity. Reflecting on his emotional state, he wrote, “I felt every ounce of confidence drain out of me. 'Karz' had held great promise, I had thought it would do wonders for my career. It had wonderful music, and some great work by the cast and crew. I believed it would be a resounding success and earn rave reviews. When that didn’t happen, I was shattered.”
Director Subhash Ghai also expressed disappointment, recalling, “We opened with 20 per cent collections.” He added that the film was later considered ahead of its time. Ghai revealed that Kapoor was hospitalised soon after the release. “On Sunday, I learnt that he had been admitted to the hospital for depression. He had worked hard on every scene and was so proud of the film, requesting several preview shows for his friends before its release. The no-show came as a shock and I had to get Raj saab (Kapoor) to reassure him that we’d made a good film irrespective of its commercial failure,” Ghai said.
Rishi Kapoor's Recovery
At the time, Kapoor was working on multiple films, including 'Prem Rog', directed by Raj Kapoor. Despite his commitments, he struggled to return to work. “My father was a worried man. Doctors were called in to analyse my condition, psychiatrists were consulted. Meanwhile, four film crews were considerate enough to hold everything and wait for me to get well,” he shared.
Looking back, he understood the cause of his breakdown. “It dawned on me much later that my breakdown was the direct result of 'Karz’s unfortunate fate at the box-office. I would regain some of my lost confidence when I had a drink in the evening with my friends. But on set the next morning, I would tremble with fear. I became paranoid and kept fearing that one of the big set lights was going to fall on me. But in my brief moments of clarity I also knew that I had to pick myself up and get back to normal. And although the process was slow, I managed to climb out of it and regain normalcy,” he shared.
Over time, 'Karz' achieved cult status and is now regarded as a classic, despite its initial box office failure. Songs like “Om Shanti Om” and “Ek Haseena Thi” remain popular. Rishi Kapoor passed away on April 30, 2020, due to leukemia, and today marks his 6th death anniversary.
