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Rishi Kapoor Was Hospitalized For Depression After Karz Flopped, Reveals Director Subhash Ghai
Rishi Kapoor-Tina Munim's reincarnation film Karz has achieved a cult status over the years, and is still remembered for its chartbuster songs. But, you folks would be surprised to know that the Subhash Ghai directorial was a colossal failure when it released in theatres.
The film's failure took a toll on Rishi Kapoor, so much so, that he had to be hospitalized for depression. This revelation about the late actor was recently made by Karz director Subhash Ghai in an interview with Mumbai Mirror.
Subhash Ghai Talks About Karz's Opening-Day Response
The director told the tabloid that he and his assistant directors visited a single-screen theatre in Mumbai on the first day of Karz's theatrical release. With the previous week's release, Feroz Khan's Qurbani, running to packed theatres, the Rishi Kapoor-starrer opened with 20% collections.
People Walked Out Halfway Through Karz
Subhash Ghai revealed that the urban feel and psychedelic lights in Karz put off the few people who had bought tickets, and many even walked out halfway through the film.
The filmmaker recalled a manager of a UP theatre telling him, "It's a good film, but people can't understand why Rishi Kapoor needs to avenge Raj Kiran's death. We know Monty is Ravi Verma reborn, but till now, in all Hindi reincarnation dramas, the hero returned with the same face. By going with another actor in the next life, you have merely compounded the confusion of rebirth."
Rishi Kapoor Didn't Pick Up Subhash Ghai's Calls On Friday And Saturday
The director told the tabloid, "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."
Rishi Kapoor Was Shocked With The Failure Of Karz
"The no-show came as a shock, and I had to get Raj saab (his father Raj Kapoor) to reassure him that we'd made a good film irrespective of its commercial failure," Subhash Ghai told Mumbai Mirror.
Over the years, Karz went on to become one of Rishi Kapoor's most memorable films.
Subhash Ghai Is Devastated With Rishi Kapoor's Passing Away
Speaking about how in an industry full of fair-weather friends, Rishi stood by him for decades, the filmmaker had earlier told Hindustan Times, "Whenever I would be in depression, his message would come ‘don't get depressed, you are the best'. Here, after a film flops, actors desert you. But he was the only one who would call and talk after a film flopped. Aise insaan ke baare mein aap kya kahenge (What can you say about such a person)?"
Unfortunately, owing to the COVID-19 lockdown, Subhash Ghai couldn't make it to Rishi Kapoor's funeral. Talking about it, the Taal director had said, "I wanted to see his face, this will be the biggest tragedy of my life."
