Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalHispanic Heritage MonthIMDb Stars to WatchSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Karma

  • 1986
  • Not Rated
  • 3h 13m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
2.6K
YOUR RATING
Jackie Shroff, Anil Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, and Naseeruddin Shah in Karma (1986)
ActionAdventureDramaThriller

Jailer Vishwa trains three death row inmates to hunt down escaped terrorist Michael, who killed his grandchildren.Jailer Vishwa trains three death row inmates to hunt down escaped terrorist Michael, who killed his grandchildren.Jailer Vishwa trains three death row inmates to hunt down escaped terrorist Michael, who killed his grandchildren.

  • Director
    • Subhash Ghai
  • Writers
    • Sachin Bhowmick
    • Subhash Ghai
    • Kader Khan
  • Stars
    • Dilip Kumar
    • Nutan
    • Naseeruddin Shah
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.2/10
    2.6K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Subhash Ghai
    • Writers
      • Sachin Bhowmick
      • Subhash Ghai
      • Kader Khan
    • Stars
      • Dilip Kumar
      • Nutan
      • Naseeruddin Shah
    • 18User reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos178

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster

    Top cast33

    Edit
    Dilip Kumar
    Dilip Kumar
    • Vishwa Pratap Singh aka Rana (Dada Thakur)
    Nutan
    Nutan
    • Rukmini Vishwa Pratap Singh
    Naseeruddin Shah
    Naseeruddin Shah
    • Khairuddin Kisti
    Jackie Shroff
    Jackie Shroff
    • Baiju Thakur
    Anil Kapoor
    Anil Kapoor
    • Johnny…
    Anupam Kher
    Anupam Kher
    • Dr. Michael Dang
    Sridevi
    Sridevi
    • Radha
    Poonam Dhillon
    Poonam Dhillon
    • Tulsi
    Kaikala Satyanarayana
    Kaikala Satyanarayana
    • Tit Tam Tittu
    Tom Alter
    Tom Alter
    • Rexson
    Beena Banerjee
    Beena Banerjee
    • Sunil's wife
    Bindu Desai
    Bindu Desai
    • Tulsi's Chachi
    • (as Bindu)
    Dan Dhanoa
    Dan Dhanoa
    • Indian Prisoner in BSO jail
    C.S. Dubey
    C.S. Dubey
    Subhash Ghai
    Subhash Ghai
    • Pedestrian with bicyle on his shoulder
    Leena Gupta
    Jugal Hansraj
    Jugal Hansraj
    • Rana's youngest and the only surviving son (Child Artiste)
    Manik Irani
    Manik Irani
    • Director
      • Subhash Ghai
    • Writers
      • Sachin Bhowmick
      • Subhash Ghai
      • Kader Khan
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews18

    7.22.5K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    10jai_163

    Great film, Great story.....Totally great

    I first saw this film when I was 8. I loved it then and I love it even more now. The main aspect of this film you have to realise is that, whilst it may not be up to the usual standards of the sophisticated pallette belonging to your average everyday hollywood filmgoer, Karma was a huge leap in filmmaking within India. Its brilliance lies not within the meagre budget it was made with (meagre compared to Hollywood standards) but with the dedication applied by its cast, crew and of course its most prized asset...the director.

    Karma is a film that, admittedly, does not have the sophistication of a Lethal Weapon or Die Hard. You may think im making excuses for a poor film. On the contrary its with these obstacles in mind that Karma has become a GREAT film. The quality of acting talent within the film is awesome, including the great Dilip Kumar and Naseeruddin Shah. The story itself has won several awards and the most important part of the film is the directors style of filmaking which is so unique and stylised that, although this film has been made on a budget and some of the effects may leave a little to be desired, karma is beautiful to watch. The flowing camera movements never let you sit still, the music, though may sound the same, is emotive and used sparingly in the right places to create the perfect effect as a great wine does with your evening meal.

    Subhash Ghai is an awesome filmmaker as he never bows to the traditional method of filmmaking. He is an innovator in the art of Indian movie making who tackles the strongest issues and social weakness in India and indeed humanity itself. Be it the recruiment of children into crime and terrorism as displayed so eloquently by the three young protagonists, the strength of family values which can overcome even the hardened minds displayed by Dilip Kumar or just the need for unity in the country and the world against oppression. Karma is an ideological film, based on the idea that all humans are inherently good and that life itself creates the difference between an officer and a criminal. Therefore no matter which god you believe in, what country you are from, in life your actions define who you really are
    9Li_85

    Great Entertaining movie

    Karma is a great entertaining movie from Subash Ghai. Subash has given us some great films like Khal Nayak, Karz and Hero. Karma tells the story of Dilip Kumar, a Prison Jailer who unfortunately has the responsibility of holding Terrorist Anupom Kher. Anupom Kher escapes and is responsible for the massacre of Dilips family. Dilip then decides to lead a secret mission, with the help of three death row convicts. The storyline is similar to many Bollywood Films like the Classic Sholay. Karma is still a good version packed with comedy and action. Dilip Kumar gives a great performance and is Bollywoods Best Actor before Amitabh took over in the early 70s. Jackie Shroff is Good Anil Kapoor provides most of the comedy in a superb performance. Naseerudin Shah is the silent Hero in a above average performance. Sridevi is my old time favourite actress in a good performance. Poonam has a small role. Anupom Kher had a fantastic opportunity to portray a Villain role as the iconic bollywood baddie Deng, and delivers a OK performance, personally I think he doesn't suit as a villain, I did not find him evil enough, not as menacing as amrish puri or Danny who would of been a better choice.
    4existenz-6

    If this is good Indian cinema, I'd hate to see the bad

    I was really looking forward to this movie. I'd seen the poster in an old French textbook (don't ask why) and it looked quite awesome. I'd never seen an Indian film before, and I figured an Indian action movie from the 1980s could be great. So last month I purchased the Karma DVD online.

    Two words: big disappointment.

    I don't know if all Indian movies are like this, but the photography was terrible, the acting was cheesy, the songs are incredibly generic (they all sound the same to my western ears), and the action is TERRIBLE. The movie has a few good explosions, and lots of guys get gunned down, but the stunts are third rate (at best!). The director doesn't handle the story or the action with any sort of style or exuberance. The movie has only one redeeming quality, and that's the actor with the black beard. He's a real badass, and he nearly pulls this movie from the brink with his incredible Bronson/Eastwood-esque performance.

    If the Indians want to make movies like Hollywood, they need to trim their scripts down and learn how to direct. I still want to see Sholay, but if that's as bad as this movie then I won't be putting any more Indian films at the top of my list.
    9TriNitroToluene

    existenz-6

    Discount comments by existenz-6: He merely wanted to see an exact replication of Hollywood cinema, and he's disappointed the *Indian* film had any roots other than his own. If you're used to conventional western cinema, and that's all you want to see, you simply aren't going to like this movie! If you fall into that category, and yet (for some inexplicable reason) you still want to see a bollywood flick you're going to want to check out the more recent ones (something by Ram Gopal Varma, perhaps). They're much more "westernized". That said, Karma is one of the greats of the 80's. It has comedy, action, tragedy, and excellent acting. Dillip Kumar, as usual, plays his role well. A. Kheir steals the show as Dr. Deng, there was something so morbidly dark about the look on his face when Dillip Kumar's character slaps him, he suddenly transforms from a comical amusement into a character to be taken dead seriously. He remains so for the rest of the movie. As cinema in the 80s was, there are a few shoddy moments in transference from humor to tragedy. If you can deal with that roller-coaster, and the fact that bollywood flicks don't pack budgets comparable to Hollywood, you may want to give this movie a peak!
    6dinesh-yd

    Masala bollywood film with blend of Deshbhakti

    Base theme is mosley same as Sholay. Title song is good and repeated every time in the movie. Other songs feels boring and drags the fim. Most characters are always looks screaming. Mosley dramatic and excess use of patriotism. Dilip Kumar leave Impression with his acting. Length if the film is feels long.

    More like this

    Ram Lakhan
    6.8
    Ram Lakhan
    Saudagar
    6.7
    Saudagar
    Tezaab
    6.9
    Tezaab
    Meri Jung
    7.2
    Meri Jung
    Khalnayak
    7.1
    Khalnayak
    Beta
    6.2
    Beta
    Parinda
    7.8
    Parinda
    Karma
    4.3
    Karma
    Kranti
    7.3
    Kranti
    Judaai
    6.1
    Judaai
    Namak Halaal
    7.2
    Namak Halaal
    Aankhen
    6.8
    Aankhen

    Related interests

    Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988)
    Action
    Still frame
    Adventure
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Subhash Ghai's original choice for the villain's role (Dr. Dang) was Amrish Puri, but the film-maker opted for Anupam Kher instead. Reason: "Amrish has been killed so many times on screen earlier that people wouldn't be interested in watching him get killed yet again," Ghai had revealed then.
    • Connections
      Referenced in Musafir (2004)
    • Soundtracks
      Karma (Introduction)
      Sung by Dilip Kumar

      Composed by Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar and Pyarelal Ramprasad Sharma (as Laxmikant - Pyarelal)

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ15

    • How long is Karma?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 8, 1986 (India)
    • Country of origin
      • India
    • Official site
      • Watch Karma movie on ZEE5
    • Language
      • Hindi
    • Also known as
      • Карма
    • Production company
      • Mukta Arts
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 3h 13m(193 min)
    • Sound mix
      • 6-Track Stereo
      • Dolby SR
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.