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Starcast: Dilip Kumar, Nutan, Jackie Shroff, Sridevi, Anil Kapoor, Poonam Dhillon, Naseeruddin Shah, Dara Singh Satish Kaul and Anupam Kher ...
Starcast: Dilip Kumar, Nutan, Jackie Shroff, Sridevi, Anil Kapoor, Poonam Dhillon, Naseeruddin Shah, Dara Singh Satish Kaul and Anupam Kher
Music:- Laxmikant Pyarelal
Direction:- Subhash Ghai
When we talk about Hindi cinema of the 1980s, there are certain films that were not merely successful but gradually became a part of our collective nostalgia. Subhash Ghai’s Karma is one such film. Released on 8 August 1986, the film brought together an impressive ensemble cast comprising Dilip Kumar, Nutan, Jackie Shroff, Anil Kapoor, Naseeruddin Shah, Sridevi, Poonam Dhillon and Anupam Kher—in other words, some of the finest actors of that era. With a runtime of around three hours and thirteen minutes, however, the film may feel quite long to today’s audience.
At the centre of the story is jailer Rana Vishwa Pratap Singh, popularly known as Dada Thakur, played by Dilip Kumar. A dreaded terrorist named Dr. Michael Dang is imprisoned in his jail. Eventually, Dang escapes from prison and, driven by a desire for revenge, attacks Rana’s family. When the conventional machinery of the police fails to stop him, Rana decides to take matters into his own hands. But he does not do it alone. He trains three death-row prisoners—Baiju, Johnny and Khairuddin—and turns them into a special team. Their sole objective is to track down Dang and destroy his vast network of terror.
The premise of the story is undoubtedly fascinating. The idea of transforming three convicted criminals into soldiers fighting for their country gives the film something more than just a conventional revenge narrative. However, the screenplay does not always make full use of this potential. At times the story is gripping, while at other moments unnecessary songs, comedy and melodrama slow down the proceedings. Almost every familiar ingredient of 1980s commercial Hindi cinema is present here—family emotions, romance, humour, a larger-than-life villain, gun battles, sacrifice and, of course, patriotism.
However, Subhash Ghai’s greatest strength is his presentation. He never treats Karma as a small-scale film. The mountainous landscapes, elaborate sets, gun battles and action sequences all carry his trademark sense of grandeur. The first half is comparatively more engaging in terms of family drama and character development, while the second half gradually transforms into a full-fledged action spectacle.
And this brings us to the performances.
Dilip Kumar is the soul of the film. As Rana Vishwa Pratap Singh, his personality, voice and expressive eyes give several scenes an additional dimension. The character is simultaneously a stern jailer, a helpless husband, a grieving father and a patriotic leader—and Dilip Kumar handles all these shades with remarkable ease. His scenes with Nutan are particularly memorable. Karma is also significant as their first pairing on screen.
Jackie Shroff is lively as Baiju. He brings the charm of a young hero of that period along with considerable ease in the action sequences. Anil Kapoor, as Johnny, brings even more energy to the proceedings. The chemistry between the two makes several of the lighter moments in the film enjoyable. Naseeruddin Shah, meanwhile, plays Khairuddin without making the character unnecessarily theatrical, relying instead on his natural style of acting to make him convincing. The contrasting personalities of these three characters form one of the most entertaining aspects of Rana’s specially trained team.
Anupam Kher’s Dr. Michael Dang belongs to a completely different mould. As a villain, he is far more theatrical than realistic. But that was precisely what was expected from a Bollywood villain of the 1980s! His peculiar mannerisms, distinctive dialogue delivery and supreme confidence in his own ‘evil empire’ make the character memorable.
The music of the film was composed by Laxmikant–Pyarelal, with lyrics by Anand Bakshi. Aye Watan Tere Liye remains the film’s biggest musical legacy. The song did not merely remain a part of the film; over the decades, it became closely associated with the atmosphere of Independence Day and Republic Day celebrations. Mera Karma Tu, Na Jaiyo Pardes and De Daru also maintain the film’s commercial flavour.
All said and done, Karma is far from a perfect film. The screenplay contains several simplifications, the villain’s plans occasionally feel exaggerated, and the runtime of more than three hours can test the patience of a modern viewer. But the film cannot be judged purely through the lens of logic. It belongs to an era of commercial Hindi cinema when larger-than-life stars, an expansive story, heightened emotions and unabashed patriotism were all brought together under one roof.
Even almost four decades later, the primary attraction of Karma is not the realism of its story, but its emotional appeal, ensemble cast, Dilip Kumar’s commanding presence, the chemistry between Jackie, Anil and Naseeruddin, and immortal music such as Aye Watan Tere Liye.
Ultimately, Karma is a quintessential example of 1980s Bollywood masala cinema—somewhat melodramatic, occasionally over-the-top, but equally sincere, entertaining and undeniably memorable. Even today, when its songs or scenes appear on television around Independence Day, they evoke a strong sense of nostalgia among older viewers—and perhaps that is the film’s greatest achievement.
By Ayushmaan Mitra
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