PremiumFrom Karz to Om Shanti Om: Bollywood's timeless obsession with reincarnation
Bollywood’s fascination with reincarnation shines in films like Karz, Madhumati, Neel Kamal, Mehbooba, Karan Arjun, and Om Shanti Om, blending love, revenge, and destiny across lifetimes.
Last Updated: 01.41 PM, Mar 21, 2025
Overblown tales have always been a staple of Bollywood, and the concept of reincarnation is one such motif that has stood the test of time. Throughout the years, numerous films have delved into the concept of soulmates reconnecting in subsequent lives, resolving unfinished business, or retribution manifesting in a new birth. With the 45th anniversary of Karz (1980), a seminal Bollywood film on rebirth, we can look back on other notable films that explored this esoteric idea.
Karz (1980) - ZEE5 (OTTplay Premium) and Prime Video
Bollywood reincarnation dramas look up to Subhash Ghai's Karz as an example of excellence. The film features famous musician Monty (Rishi Kapoor), who has paranormal visions about his previous lives. As a result of these disturbing flashbacks, he learns that in a past life, his wife Kamini (Simi Garewal) killed his husband Ravi Verma (Raj Kiran). The riveting vengeance story and the legendary score by Laxmikant-Pyarelal, particularly Ek Haseena Thi, propelled Karz to the status of cult classic. Himesh Reshammiya's Karzzzz (2008) is one of several remakes made possible by the film's enduring popularity.
Madhumati (1958) - Prime Video and ShemarooMe (OTTplay Premium)
Madhumati by Bimal Roy was an early work in the reincarnation subgenre. This film stars Dilip Kumar as Anand, a man whose heart belongs to the otherworldly Madhumati (Vyjayanthimala). But their romance is shattered when the wicked Ugra Narain (Pran) steps in. A reincarnation of Madhumati as Madhavi occurs after her untimely demise, and fate reunites them in Anand's life. The gloomy photography and eerie soundtrack, especially Aaja Re Pardesi of the film, are still recognisable today.
Neel Kamal (1968) - Prime Video and ShemarooMe (OTTplay Premium)
Neel Kamal stars Waheeda Rehman, Raj Kumar, and Manoj Kumar and features supernatural subplots. The protagonist, Sita, played by Waheeda Rehman, enters a palace every night while she sleeps. Her past life as a princess, Neel Kamal, is later revealed to be her reincarnation. Tujhko Pukare Mera Pyar, a melancholy tune, does a fantastic job of capturing the film's otherworldly mood.
Mehbooba (1976) - Prime Video
Rajesh Khanna and Hema Malini's mystical love story in Mehbooba rode the wave of popularity surrounding the rebirth subject. The film portrays the tragic love story of Suraj and Ratna, whose romance ends in tragedy. Despite this, they reunite after being resurrected as Ravi and Jhumri. The film's iconic score, by R.D. Burman, which included the song Mere Naina Saawan Bhadon, helped elevate it to the status of a classic.
Karan Arjun (1995) - ZEE5 (OTTplay Premium)
Blending reincarnation with masala action and family drama, Rakesh Roshan's Karan Arjun became a hit. This film, which stars Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan, is about the murder of two brothers, Karan and Arjun, by the villain Thakur Durjan Singh, played by Amrish Puri. Their mother Raakhee famously thinks, "Mere Karan Arjun aayenge," and they return to their reborn bodies as Ajay and Vijay to seek revenge for their deaths. Thanks to its memorable lines and exciting plot, the picture became a cultural phenomenon.
Om Shanti Om (2007) - Netflix
Helmed by Farah Khan, Om Shanti Om brought a glossy, contemporary spin to the concept of reincarnation. Om (Shah Rukh Khan), a young artist, falls for diva Shanti (Deepika Padukone) in this romantic drama. Om meets the same tragic end as his lover Shanti when her husband Mukesh Mehra (Arjun Rampal) betrays and murders her. Om Kapoor wants revenge for Shanti's murder in his next life as a film star. Hit songs like Dard-E-Disco and Deewangi Deewangi are part of the film's deft blending of Bollywood glamour, comedy, and drama.