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Some films are simply ahead of their time. No matter how compelling the story, audiences may reject them upon release. Such was the case in 1980 when Hindi cinema’s showman, Subhash Ghai, directed Karz. While the film’s soundtrack became a huge hit, the movie itself flopped at the box office. Interestingly, two later films drew inspiration from Karz’s storyline, and both went on to become major blockbusters: Karan Arjun (1995) and Om Shanti Om (2007). The original Karz, directed by Subhash Ghai, failed commercially, but its core story was reused by Rakesh Roshan in 1995 and by director-choreographer Farah Khan in 2007. Both of these films were smash hits. The 1980 film Karz starred Rishi Kapoor, Simi Garewal, Tina Ambani, Raj Kiran, Pran and Premnath. The story was penned by Dr Rahi Masoom Raza, with music composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal and lyrics by Anand Bakshi. Songs such as Om Shanti Om, Ek Haseena Thi, Ek Deewana Tha, and Main Solah Baras Ki became extremely popular. Subhash Ghai later explained in an interview that distributors felt the film was ahead of its time, which led to its failure at the box office. Fifteen years after Karz, filmmaker Rakesh Roshan adapted the reincarnation theme into Karan Arjun, released on January 13, 1995. This action film was a blockbuster and featured Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Rakhi, Kajol, Mamta Kulkarni, Amrish Puri, Ranjeet, and Ashok Saraf. Notably, it marked the first time Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan appeared on screen together. The music, composed by Rajesh Roshan, was also a huge success. The story of Karan Arjun was credited to Sachin Bhowmick, Ravi Kapoor, and Anwar Khan. Sachin Bhowmick had also written the screenplay for Karz, meaning the writer reworked his earlier story into a successful film in the 1990s. Interestingly, Shah Rukh Khan did not initially believe in the reincarnation storyline and openly expressed his doubts to Rakesh Roshan. However, he later went on to star in another blockbuster film based on reincarnation. Rakesh Roshan recalled in an interview: “I cast Shah Rukh Khan in a big film like Karan Arjun, but he wasn’t confident in the subject matter. He kept saying, ‘This can’t happen. First, Karan and Arjun died, then they came back to life.’ It was frustrating, but I had complete faith in the story. Later, Shah Rukh made Om Shanti Om, which also explored reincarnation.” Twelve years after Karan Arjun, Shah Rukh Khan produced and starred in Om Shanti Om, released on November 9, 2007. This film marked Deepika Padukone’s debut and featured Arjun Rampal, Shreyas Talpade, and Kirron Kher in lead roles. The screenplay was written by Farah Khan and Mushtaq Sheikh, with production by Gauri Khan under Red Chillies Entertainment. Om Shanti Om blended comedy, suspense, and drama, making it a complete entertainer. The music was composed by Vishal-Shekhar, with lyrics by Javed Akhtar. The first half paid homage to iconic films of the 1970s and 80s, with numerous well-known actors parodied. Made on a budget of Rs 40 crore, the film grossed Rs 149 crore worldwide, solidifying its status as a blockbuster.
