Karz 1980

The film opens with Ravi Verma, Raj Kiran, winning a court case against Sir Judah, Premnath Malhotra, who had unjustly usurped the wealth and property of Ravi’s father, Shanta Prasad Verma, after his death. Ravi calls his widowed mother, Durga Khote, and his younger sister Abha Dhulia to share the good news that he is marrying his girlfriend, Kamini, Simi Garewal, who is actually a gold-digger working for Judah, unbeknownst to him. On their way home to Coonoor, Kamini throws Ravi off a cliff to his death near a small temple of the Goddess Kali. Distraught at the sudden death of her son, Ravi’s mother asks Goddess Lakshmi to grant him a chance to settle his mother’s debt for dying early, while Kamini inherits everything.

Two decades later, Monty, Rishi Kapoor, an orphan raised by the wealthy G.G. Oberoi, Pinchoo Kapoor, is a professional singer who begins to have visions of Ravi’s memories triggered by a tune that was Ravi’s favourite. Monty’s doctors jokingly suggest that maybe he is Ravi’s reincarnation, but they urge him to take a break and rest. He travels to Ooty, where Tina, Tina Munim, lives, and the two fall in love. Tina tells him she was brought up by a woman she calls Rani Sahiba, and her uncle, Kabira, Pran Sikand, who is released from prison after serving ten years for murder. As Monty explores the area and learns the Verma family story from locals, including that Ravi’s mother and younger sister Abha Dhulia were banished from their house by Kamini, he begins to experience Ravi’s memories more intensely. He is later shocked to find that Tina’s Rani Sahiba and Kamini are one and the same.

Kabira then reveals to Monty that Tina’s father was murdered by Kamini’s brother after overhearing a secret involving Ravi and the temple of Kali. In retaliation, Kabira killed Kamini’s brother, which is why he was arrested by the police. Pretending to be aware of Kamini’s secret, Kabira blackmails her in prison to raise Tina with a proper education. Monty, in turn, reveals to Kabira his connection to Ravi Verma, and that they must find Ravi’s estranged family, with whom Monty is united. Accepting that he is Ravi’s reincarnation, Monty is able to piece together Ravi’s murder.

To set things right, Monty and Kabira gradually trick Kamini into believing that Ravi’s ghost is seeking revenge. In their final trick, Monty and Tina perform at a local school opening function attended by Kamini, where they dramatise Ravi’s story. Kamini is horrified to see Ravi’s mother and sister and escapes. When Monty confronts her, Kamini confesses to Ravi’s murder, which is recorded by the police. However, Sir Judah holds Tina hostage and offers her in exchange for Kamini. Just as the exchange is about to take place, Tina jumps on Kamini, causing a melee. Kabira and Monty gain the upper hand but Judah locks Ravi’s mother and sister in a house and sets it ablaze. Monty saves them, and kills Judah in the fire. Kamini escapes in a jeep but Monty pursues her. She tries to throw Monty off the cliff at the temple of Kali in the same way she killed Ravi, but this time Monty jumps away, causing Kamini to drive off the cliff and meet her death. In the end, the Verma wealth and property is returned to Ravi’s family and Monty marries Tina.