Published: 11:07 AM, 01 October 2026
Bollywood's 'unluckiest' title: 9 films, all flops
Even before numerology became almost omnipresent in film titles in Hindi cinema, superstitions governed how makers selected the titles of their mega projects, right down from the choice of words and even spellings. If a word, phrase, or letter seemed to work, it was often repeated. Director Arjun Hingorani was known to use three Ks in his film titles, be it in Kab? Kyoon? Aur Kahan?, Kahani Kismat Ki, or Katilon Ke Kaati. So perhaps it is surprising that one film titled managed to give flop after flop and yet filmmakers persisted with it. This one word, used either fully or in part, in various spellings, gave Bollywood nine flops over 40 years, ending many careers and stalling others.
Karz (Urdu for debt or loan) is the word that caused Bollywood grief nine times. Three films have been made over the years with this title. While on six other occasions, it was part of the film’s title. On all nine occasions, the films bombed at the box office, with no respite. The first Karz, starring Rishi Kapoor and Simi Garewal, released in 1980 and bombed. Its remake, starring Himesh Reshammiya and Urmila Matondkar, faced a similar fate. In between was Sunny Deol’s Karz: A Burden of Truth, also a flop.
The other six box office duds are Karz Tere Khoon Ka (1988), Doodh Ka Karz (1990), Pyar Ka Karz (1990), Karz Chukana Hai (1991), Mahaan Karz (1991), and Doodh Ka Karz (2016).
Subhash Ghai made Karz in 1980, the first film with the title. Inspired by the 1975 Hollywood thriller, The Reincarnation of Peter Proud, the film starred Rishi Kapoor as a rockstar who finds he is the reincarnation of Raj Kiran’s character and must avenge his murder. Also starring Simi, Tina Munim, and Pran, the film only earned ?4 crore at the box office, defeated by Feroz Khan’s Qurbani, which also released at the same time and drew the audience away. In his autobiography, Rishi would later write that the film’s failure left him unsure about his career, leaving him depressed. The film later gained a cult following, particularly for its music.
