Karm (1977) is a film made by B. R. Films and directed by B. R. Chopra. I have termed it as different in the title of this review. It is different because it deals with a novel theme. And it's different from the other films of this banner and this director because - 1. Its titles have been given in Hindi, 2. Sahir Ludhianvi has not written the lyrics and Ravi has not prepared the music, 3. Above all, the trademark logo of B. R. Films - alongwith the Shloka from Bhagvad Geeta - Karmanyev Adhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana, Ma Karmaphala Heturbhoor Ma Te Sangostva Akarmani - has not been given in the beginning of the movie as is the case with all the films of this banner. When the name of the film itself is 'Karm' and the story also deals with the issue of one's Karma only, the absence of the logo with the above mentioned Shloka which asserts the same thing, appears odd. Anyway.

Karm (deed / one's destiny) starts with the love story of Arvind (Rajesh Khanna) and Asha (Vidya Sinha). Arvind's parents give consent for their marriage but the trouble strikes when Asha's astrologer father (Manmohan Krishna) checks their horoscopes and tells that if they get married, Arvind will die soon. Unable to live without each other, they leave their parental homes and go for a live-in relationship. However they have to face the social stigma for living together as a couple without marriage. Arvind is a lawyer but not able to make a successful practice and becomes an employee in a firm. When Asha is pregnant, Arvind has to go out of station and in his absence, Asha's father dies. Feeling that her relationship with Arvind is bringing failures and hardships only for him and the society will never accept their live-in relationship, Asha moves out of Arvind's life and starts living in the Ashram of a sage (Om Shivpuri) at Dehradun (they're shown to be living at Chandigarh). There she gives birth to a son.

Arvind tries hard to find Asha but not able to find her. Under pressure from his parents (Iftekhar and Achala Sachdev), he marries Neelam (Shabana Aazmi) and shifts from Chandigarh to Delhi. After this marriage, his career first as a lawyer and then as a judge, progresses by leaps and bounds. However he and Neelam are not able to beget a child. Upon shifting from Delhi to Dehradun, Arvind happens to meet Asha who is now known as Saadhana. She is a nurse and is involved in the treatment of Neelam who suffers a pregnancy miscarriage. Arvind meets his son (Master Bittoo) also and requests Asha to allow him to adopt him so that he does not face the social stigma for not having his father's name tagged to his name. After some twists, the story reaches its climax.

When I started watching this film, I got impressed by its novel (and bold) theme and the flow of the story (despite its flat narration) till midway because curiosity was there regarding the forthcoming developments in the story. However in the post-interval part, the movie became totally predictable and melodramatic too in the final half an hour. It is based on a novel 'Pao Nai Parichay' written by Bangla novelist Gajendra Kumar Mitra. However the screenplay written by Pandit Mukhram Sharma is flawed. The story has two novel points - first, a superstition that a man will die if he marries a particular woman and second, the appropriateness of live-in relationship (in that time of the seventies). However the script does not do justice to any of these two and proves to be a complete letdown after half of the movie is over. The melodrama in the final half an hour makes it difficult for the viewer to sit through the (remaining) movie.

The movie tells that Asha's father is such a great astrologer that he can correctly predict even the time of raining. And due to this extraordinary skill of his only, the other characters of the story (including the lead pair) believe his soothsaying that Arvind will die if he marries Asha. Well, such things can only increase the superstitions in the minds of the already superstitious Indian public. We can contrast it with a scene of Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006) when Abhishek Bachchan decides to marry Dia Mirza despite the forecast of his death in such a situation. I also married my wife even when our horoscopes were not matching for this purpose. If we have to develop a scientific temporament in our new generation, such beliefs are to be discouraged, not encouraged.

Further, when Arvind and Asha move into a live-in relationship, not only the public stigmatizes them but the filmmaker also terms their relationship (time and again, from the mouths of other characters) a sin. I agree with the assertion of Arvind in this regard that marriage is a custom followed for the sake of social recognition of the relationship of a male and a female. If marriage cannot take place because of any reason and the pair is in genuine love of each other, live-in relationship is as good as marriage. The society and the law should give due recognition to the children born out of such relationships. The director took a bold step by showing the lead pair living as a couple without matrimony but finally developed cold feet by stigmatizing it unnecessarily and not recognizing it as a correct step (in the given situation).

The direction of the post-interval part is as poor as the script. Good actors like Iftekhar, Achala Sachdev, Naaz and Asrani have been wasted. Asrani is shown as the buddy of the hero and at least he could have been given a meaningful role to play in the final hour of the movie but his character has been totally removed after the first half of the movie is over. The director is confused regarding Asha's character. It is reiterated that Asha committed a sin by living with Arvind without marriage but in the end she is praised for her patience, perseverance and sacrifice. Her son is termed as the souvenir of her (and Arvind's) sin which is completely unfair. While doing it, B. R. Chopra forgot the dialogue of his own movie Dhool Ka Phool (1959) that a child is never illegitimate, parents are illegitimate especially the father.

Besides, Arvind marries Neelam without telling her anything about his past which is illogical. That only creates a misunderstanding in her mind at a later stage. All this looks idiotic. The director also appears confused regarding the meaning of Karm. Somewhere it's indicated as a person's deed and somewhere it's indicated as a person's destiny.

The characters have been badly written especially that of Neelam. And when the characters themselves have not been written properly, the actors too could not do justice to them. The only good performer in the movie is child artiste Master Bittoo.

R. D. Burman has composed average music for this movie with the lyrics of Rajkavi Tulsi and Bharat Vyas. Art director, cinematographer and editor all have done their jobs like the music director only. Background score and dialogues are also so-so. Overall speaking, it's a one time watch. It's difficult to believe that it has been directed by a great director like B. R. Chopra. Given the theme involving soothsaying and live-in relationship, it could have become a brilliant movie ahead of its time but the director missed the opportunity.

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