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Karobaar
Karobaar
Karobaar
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Karobaar
Film poster
Directed byRakesh Roshan
Written bySagar Sarhadi (dialogues)
Screenplay bySachin Bhowmick
Ravi Kapoor
Produced byGava[1]
StarringRishi Kapoor
Anil Kapoor
Juhi Chawla
CinematographySameer Arya
Edited bySanjay Verma
Music bySongs:
Rajesh Roshan
Background Score:
Surinder Sodhi
Production
company
TVM International
Release date
  • 15 September 2000 (2000-09-15)
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi
Budgetest. ₹6 crore
Box officeest. ₹2.84 crore

Karobaar: The Business of Love, shortly called Karobaar is a 2000 Indian Hindi romantic thriller film directed by Rakesh Roshan. The film stars Rishi Kapoor (in a Double Role), along with Anil Kapoor, Juhi Chawla in the lead roles. Inspired by Indecent Proposal, the film began production in 1992 and was plagued by production problems and was finally released in 2000.[2]

Plot

[edit]

Wealthy Rajiv Sinha and middle class Amar Saxena are childhood friends with similar likes. Coincidentally they fall in love with the same girl Seema. Rajiv tries to dissuade Amar from marrying Seema using a pretext but Amar is adamant and marries Seema. Soon he learns Rajiv's pretext was a way of separating him and Seema. They become bitter enemies. Soon Rajiv is charged with killing a girl. Amar, now a lawyer, decides to retaliate against Rajiv.

Cast

[edit]

Production

[edit]

Rishi Kapoor completed his scenes for the film in May, 1998.[3]

Soundtrack

[edit]
Karobaar
Soundtrack album by
Rajesh Roshan
Released17 June 2000
GenreFeature film soundtrack
LabelVenus Records & Tapes

The music is composed by Rajesh Roshan, while the lyrics are written by Javed Akhtar.

Song Singer
"Aao Aur Na Socho" Kumar Sanu
"Suno Na Suno Na" Kumar Sanu, Alka Yagnik
"Chahiye Milne Ka" Kumar Sanu, Alka Yagnik
"Aarzoo Ki Rahon" Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik
"Duniya Mein Sabse Jo Gehra" Kumar Sanu, Udit Narayan, Asha Bhosle
"Moujo Mein Ae Sanam" Alisha Chinoy

Reception

[edit]

Indu Mirani wrote for Sify that the film had "nothing even remotely attractive about it".[4] In his review for The Tribune, Sanjeev Bariana wrote that the film's "storyline seems unconvincing and rather dragged".[5] Joginder Tuteja described the film as a "mega disaster".[2] Rishita Roy Chowdhury of India Today in a retrospective review in 2021, wrote that "the film tried to add desi twists to the Hollywood hit, Indecent Proposal, and failed miserably."[6]

It performed poorly at the box-office.[7] According to the Indian film trade website Box Office India, it was produced at an estimated budget of ₹6.00 crore (US$710,000) and had a worldwide gross of ₹2.84 crore (US$340,000).[8]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Karobaar

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Karobaar: The Business of Love is a 2000 Indian Hindi-language romantic thriller film directed by . The movie stars in a as Amar Saxena and Rohit Sinha, alongside as Rajiv Sinha and as Seema. Released on 15 September 2000, the film, which began production in 1992, explores themes of love, friendship, and temptation through a plot inspired by the American film . The story centers on childhood friends Rajiv, a wealthy industrialist, and Amar, a middle-class student, who both fall in love with the same woman, Seema. After Seema chooses Amar and they marry, the couple faces financial hardships. Rajiv, still harboring feelings for Seema, proposes a controversial deal: one night with her in exchange for a large sum of money to resolve their debts. This leads to dramatic consequences, including a confrontation where Amar prosecutes a case involving a similar scenario. The screenplay, written by and , blends elements of drama, romance, and suspense. Produced by Gava, Karobaar features music composed by , with lyrics by , including notable songs like "Sunona Sunona" and "Arzoo Ki Rahon Mein". Despite its star-studded cast and Rakesh Roshan's direction—marking his last film without producing it himself or featuring his son Hrithik in the lead—the movie received mixed reviews for its predictable plot and execution. At the , it was declared a disaster, grossing approximately ₹1.15 crore nett in against a budget that failed to recover. The film remains a lesser-known entry in the Roshan family's filmography, highlighting the era's trends in adapting Western narratives to Indian contexts.

Development and pre-production

Concept and scripting

The concept for Karobaar originated as a centered on themes of friendship, rivalry, and revenge, conceived by director around as an adaptation inspired by the Hollywood film . The project was announced that year as one of Roshan's early directorial ventures following successes like Khel (1992), which influenced the thriller elements through its suspenseful narrative structure. The screenplay was developed by and , with dialogues by , drawing on classic tropes such as love triangles and moral dilemmas akin to legal dramas, where personal relationships intersect with ethical and societal conflicts. To suit Indian audiences, Roshan incorporated traditional values, shifting to Seema's agreement to spend one night with Rajiv in exchange for his help in releasing Amar from a false smuggling charge framed by Rajiv, emphasizing revenge and rivalry between the protagonists. Due to extensive delays spanning over five years, the script underwent adjustments to accommodate actor availability, including challenges in aligning schedules for key cast members, and to reflect evolving market trends in late-1990s Bollywood, such as heightened emphasis on family-oriented morals amid rising from big-budget spectacles. These changes ensured the narrative remained relevant upon its eventual completion in the late 1990s.

Casting

Rishi Kapoor was cast in the dual role of Amar Saxena, a middle-class lawyer, and his son Rohit Saxena, who resembles him as a young adult, allowing him to demonstrate his versatility in embodying father and son within the same narrative. To achieve the visual effect for the younger Rohit, who resembled Kapoor's appearance from the 1980s, production used a body double with Kapoor's face from old photographs digitally pasted onto it, a technique necessitated by the story's requirements. This marked Kapoor's final outing as a romantic lead, coming after a career predominantly in such roles. Anil Kapoor was selected for the role of Rajiv Sinha, the wealthy antagonist and friend to the protagonists, bringing his established dramatic range to the part with subtle negative shades in the first half of the film. was chosen as Seema Saxena, the central love interest, fitting the emotional depth needed for the romantic lead in the script's core dynamic. The supporting cast included actors such as as Ramlal Shyamlal, Govardhan Asrani as Champak Lal, and , contributing to the ensemble without reported last-minute changes, though the overall production timeline influenced the final lineup. Karobaar faced an extensive production delay of approximately eight years, starting in the early and only completing for release in 2000 due to financial and logistical issues, including financial constraints and incidents like a missing negative. Despite this, the original principal cast was retained, avoiding major recasts; however, the passage of time led to visible aging and physical alterations among the actors, including Kapoor's weight gain, which prompted script adjustments such as portraying his character as older in the climax to align with the elapsed years. This retention preserved the intended chemistry but highlighted mismatches, like the age gap between Kapoor and , exacerbated by the delay.

Filming

Principal photography

Principal photography for Karobaar commenced in 1992 but faced significant production delays due to logistical and creative challenges, resulting in an eight-year gap before the film's release. These delays were attributed to financial constraints and scheduling issues that halted shooting for extended periods. Filming primarily took place at studios in , , with additional outdoor sequences shot in , . Cinematographer Sameer Arya oversaw the visual style. The extended timeline led to budget overruns, as reshoots and coordination with aging footage complicated the process, ultimately wrapping in early 2000. The cast's commitments, particularly Kapoor's dual portrayal, influenced on-set dynamics by necessitating meticulous planning for overlapping scenes.

Post-production

Post-production for Karobaar involved refining the extensive captured over several years of intermittent , transforming the raw material into a cohesive . The was handled by Sanjay Verma, who focused on tightening the narrative to enhance the film's pacing, particularly in its thriller elements, given the story's expansive scope and the challenges posed by the production delays. were kept minimal, reflecting the technological constraints of late-1990s Indian cinema, with primary efforts directed toward supporting 's as father and son. To achieve the illusion of Kapoor portraying both characters, techniques were employed, overlaying of Kapoor from his younger days in the onto another actor to represent the son, avoiding the need for extensive new shoots amid the delays. Sound design emphasized synchronization for the film's dialogues and song sequences, ensuring seamless integration despite the temporal gaps in . processes addressed any inconsistencies arising from the extended timeline, aligning audio with the visuals to maintain narrative flow. The overall phase contributed to finalizing the film after a protracted period, with completion occurring just before its release. Due to the eight-year production span from 1992, additional scenes were incorporated in the late 1990s to accommodate changes, such as portraying Kapoor's character as aged in the climax to account for his real-life during the delay. This effectively served as reshoots to update elements for contemporary relevance. The total , including costs, was estimated at ₹6 .

Plot

Wealthy industrialist Rajiv Sinha () and middle-class law Amar Saxena () are childhood friends who share similar interests. Both men fall in love with the same woman, Seema (), a catering . After Seema chooses Amar over Rajiv, the two marry and start a life together. However, Amar struggles to establish his legal practice, leading the couple into severe financial hardship and mounting debts. Rajiv, who has built a successful empire, continues to harbor feelings for Seema. To help the couple out of their crisis, he proposes a controversial deal: ₹25 million (2.5 ) in exchange for one night with Seema. Initially reluctant, Amar accepts the offer under pressure, and Seema agrees to preserve their . The encounter profoundly affects Rajiv, who falls deeply in love with Seema and asks her to leave Amar and marry him instead. Feeling betrayed, Amar and Seema's relationship crumbles, and they separate. Seema discovers she is pregnant from the night with Rajiv, who marries her and raises the child as his own. Twenty years later, Rajiv and Seema's son, Rohit Sinha (), now a young man, meets and falls in love with Sapna (), who bears a striking resemblance to Seema—revealed to be her twin sister. Meanwhile, Amar has become a prominent public prosecutor. Rajiv becomes embroiled in a legal case involving a similar and murder accusation. Amar takes on the prosecution, leading to a tense drama where past secrets and connections between the characters are unveiled, forcing confrontations and revelations about and forgiveness.

Cast

ActorRole
Advocate Amar Saxena / Rohit Sinha
Rajiv Sinha
Seema Saxena
Ramlal Shyamlal
Champak
Neelam Mehta
Upasna SinghMrs. Shyamlal
Kamal
Mrs. Saxena
Judge
Mrs. Sinha
Asif SheikhRohit
Mr. Sinha
Hotel Manager
Saxena's Father-in-Law

Soundtrack

Composition and recording

The music for Karobaar was composed by , the younger brother of the film's director , who frequently collaborated with his sibling on musical scores for Rakesh's productions. Roshan's compositions blended romantic melodies with elements suited to the film's thriller narrative, incorporating Hindustani influences alongside Bollywood pop and folk styles. The lyrics were written by , emphasizing themes of and betrayal, as evident in tracks like "Aao Aur Na Socho," which captures emotional intimacy amid relational tension. Recording sessions for the soundtrack occurred in 2000 at studios in , featuring prominent playback singers such as , , , , and . The background score, composed by , was integrated to heighten suspense in key thriller sequences, complementing the vocal songs. The complete comprises 8 tracks and was released on 17 June 2000 by Venus Records & Tapes, preceding the film's theatrical debut later that year. This early audio release allowed audiences to engage with the music ahead of the visual storytelling.

Track listing

The soundtrack album of Karobaar features eight tracks, blending romantic duets, solo numbers, and instrumentals, all composed by with lyrics by . Playback singers and dominate the vocal tracks, contributing to the film's light-hearted and emotional romantic themes, while , , and add variety through their distinctive styles. No remixes were released as part of the original album.
No.TitleSinger(s)Description
1Sunona Sunona, Upbeat romantic picturized on the leads during a playful sequence.
2Arzoo Ki Rahon Mein, Melodic featuring the protagonists in an aspirational, dream-like setting.
3Aao Aur Na SochoSolo romantic number showcasing hesitation and invitation, performed by the male lead.
4Sunona Sunona (Instrumental)Orchestral rendition underscoring a key emotional moment in the narrative.
5Duniya Mein Sabse, , Family-oriented celebratory track involving multiple characters in a joyful gathering.
6Moujo Mein Ae SanamEnergetic dance number picturized on secondary leads in a festive atmosphere.
7Chahiye Milne Ka Bahana, Flirtatious highlighting the need for excuses to meet, featuring the central couple.
8Moujo Mein Ae Sanam (Instrumental)Instrumental version supporting a dynamic scene with choreography.

Release

Distribution and marketing

Karobaar: The Business of Love was theatrically released across India on 15 September 2000, primarily distributed by TVM International along with regional partners such as Dilsa Distributors for the Bombay circuit and Muni Raj for Delhi-U.P. The distribution faced challenges, including near-cancellation in the Delhi-U.P. territory due to payment disputes, which was resolved last-minute by Mukta-Shakti Combines, resulting in an uneven rollout. Promotional efforts centered on the film's star-studded cast and premise, with pre-release trailers and posters highlighting Kapoor's alongside and . A key component of the marketing campaign was the soundtrack launch event in , attended by director , producer Gava, and cast members including and guest , aimed at building anticipation through Rajesh Roshan's musical compositions. Internationally, the film had a limited release targeting diaspora audiences, with a in on 20 September 2000, five days after the Indian debut. Overall, the campaign was described as fair in scope, focusing on traditional media like print advertisements and theater trailers to emphasize the film's of themes from .

Box office performance

Karobaar had a disappointing run, earning a total nett of ₹1.15 in and a worldwide gross of ₹2.78 . The film opened to a modest ₹0.16 on its first day and collected ₹0.46 over the opening weekend across approximately 100 screens, reflecting low audience turnout. Subsequent weeks saw further decline, with the first week's total reaching ₹0.79 , before the collections tapered off significantly due to poor word-of-mouth and competition from contemporaneous releases such as and Kaali Topi Laal Rumaal. Box Office India classified the film as a "," highlighting its failure to recover costs amid a challenging market environment. The prolonged production delays, which pushed the release from an initial planned timeline in the early to September 2000, contributed to diminished audience interest, as the storyline— an adaptation of —felt outdated by the time of release. In the context of 2000's , Karobaar ranked among the lowest performers, contrasting sharply with blockbusters like (₹44.28 ) and (₹41.88 ), which dominated the year's . Overseas earnings were minimal at ₹0.85 , underscoring the film's limited global appeal.

Reception

Critical response

Upon its release in September 2000, Karobaar received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics, who largely panned its execution despite acknowledging some strong performances. of awarded the film a rare 1 out of 5 stars, describing the storyline as holding "no novelty whatsoever" and bearing a "stale look throughout," which he identified as its biggest drawback. Similarly, trade analyst in Film Information noted that the film was a "poor show largely because of the delay in its making," criticizing the unbelievable plot elements, slow pace, and dull screenplay that failed to engage audiences. Critics praised certain aspects of the performances, particularly Rishi Kapoor's handling of his double role as the young and older Amar Saxena, which Nahta called "good" in emotional sequences, effectively conveying the character's internal conflict. Anil Kapoor also drew commendations for his intense portrayal of the wealthy Rajiv Sinha, with Adarsh observing that he "tries hard" to elevate the material through sincerity, and Nahta highlighting his solid contribution to the dramatic tension. However, Juhi Chawla's role as Seema was seen as underutilized and miscast; while Nahta appreciated her emotive delivery, Adarsh deemed her implausible as a teenager opposite the visibly aged Kapoor, limiting her to reactive scenes without deeper exploration. Rakesh Roshan's direction faced significant fault for the film's outdated pacing and disjointed continuity, exacerbated by the eight-year production delays that made costumes, appearances, and narrative flow feel anachronistic. Nahta credited Roshan with "good" handling of key scenes but lamented how the time lag undermined the overall rhythm, rendering it far less polished than his contemporary hit earlier that year. Adarsh echoed this, calling the climax a "big letdown" filled with clichés that failed to resolve the plot convincingly. The cited reviews reflect consensus on its artistic shortcomings.

Commercial analysis

Karobaar represented a lesser-known entry in Rakesh Roshan's directorial output for 2000, a year dominated by the blockbuster success of his other film, , which launched his son to stardom and overshadowed Karobaar's release. While achieved widespread acclaim and commercial triumph, Karobaar struggled to gain traction amid the buzz surrounding the former. The film's protracted production, spanning from 1992 to its eventual release in 2000, contributed significantly to its outdated aesthetic in the rapidly evolving Bollywood landscape of the early . Plagued by financial and logistical issues over nearly eight years, Karobaar arrived feeling disconnected from contemporary audience preferences, which were shifting toward fresher narratives and music influenced by the millennium's pop culture influx. This delay exacerbated its market challenges, as negative critical reception further diminished its viability. For the principal cast, Karobaar marked a minor professional hiccup rather than a career-defining blow. , coming off the successful earlier in 2000, continued with a mix of hits and misses, viewing the flop as one in a series of varied projects. similarly experienced it as a brief setback amid her established comic and romantic roles in stronger contemporaries like . Kapoor's dual role added a notable entry to his extensive , though it did not alter his trajectory as a versatile . Over time, Karobaar garnered limited residual interest through releases and occasional television reruns on channels like , providing modest exposure to newer audiences. Retrospectively, as noted in a 2021 analysis, the film has been critiqued as an "indecent desi version" of , highlighting its dated approach. However, it failed to cultivate a , unlike some period dramas that gained appreciation retrospectively. In the broader mid-2000s context, the film exemplified several Bollywood productions that faltered due to the industry's transition toward youth-centric stories and global influences post-millennium.

References

  1. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116748/
  2. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116748/fullcredits/
  3. https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/bollywood/story/anil-kapoor-s-karobaar-was-an-indecent-desi-version-of-indecent-proposal-on-wahiyat-wednesday-1853147-2021-09-15
  4. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/bollywood/karobaar-/articleshow/981069787.cms
  5. https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie-story.php?movieid=746
  6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45fvXfc5Xt0
  7. https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=746
  8. https://myswar.co/album/karobaar-the-business-of-love-2000
  9. https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/karobaar/box-office/
  10. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videos/entertainment/hindi/flashback-video-music-launch-event-of-anil-kapoors-2000-movie-karobaar/videoshow/87166884.cms
  11. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/karobaar_2
  12. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116748/trivia/
  13. https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/features/struggles-superstars-hrithik-roshan/
  14. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116748/locations/
  15. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116748/fullcredits
  16. https://filminformation.com/flash-back/flashback-16-september-2025-from-our-issue-dated-16th-september-2000/
  17. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116748/trivia
  18. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116748/plotsummary/
  19. https://www.cinemaazi.com/people/rajesh-roshan
  20. https://www.discogs.com/release/12304572-Rajesh-Roshan-Javed-Akhtar-Karobaar-The-Business-Of-Love
  21. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116748/soundtrack/
  22. https://www.discogs.com/release/13437476-Rajesh-Roshan-Javed-Akhtar-Karobaar
  23. https://www.discogs.com/master/1527088-Rajesh-Roshan-Javed-Akhtar-Karobaar-The-Business-Of-Love
  24. https://open.spotify.com/album/1f5ZJhUFTcfYCtBs4PwDPk
  25. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfCdZ93F3yo
  26. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3siqCHpC-M
  27. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frRI3kFThuo
  28. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaZexGpqEFI
  29. https://www.bollyviewsyt.com/2020/09/karobaar-2000-movie-lifetime-worldwide-collection.html
  30. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ly-VeppVzrE
  31. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116748/releaseinfo/
  32. https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/box-office-collections/filterbycountry/IND/2000/
  33. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/juhi-chawla-returns-to-rakesh-roshan-s-cinema/story-Yj9EMR6bhEIEhSpp2AFmAO.html
  34. https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/karobaar/critic-review/karobaar-movie-review/
  35. https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=1140
  36. https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/karobaar/
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