Mera Naam Joker

I first saw this movie when it was first released in the cinemas in 1970. The movie shows the life of a clown, who has gone through many ups and downs in his life. As a child he is infatuated by his teacher, Mary but due to being poor he has to try and help his mother by acting like a clown. He finds out that his father was a clown in circus and that he is killed in an accident. He is finally expelled from school despite objections from the teacher. On his departure, he is informed that the teacher is leaving and is getting married and that her fiancé wants him to be his best man. At the same time, he is handed back a doll of a clown, which he had once given to his teacher. The next part is when he grows up and meets some Russian circus artists and decides to try and join them. During this time he falls in love with a female trapeze artist and despite language barrier he dreams of marrying her. but soon his mother, on finding out his real job, dies during one of his performances and he decides that life has to go on. But the circus closes and the artists return. Once again, he is handed the doll back The third and the final part is where he meets a dancer, Meena, who has to dress up as a boy in order survive. They fall in love and do many shows during which time, he informs her that he hates liers and leaves her for a while. Upon his return he gives her his doll. But soon this is returned when Meena finally finds a man with whom she thinks she will find fame with. The movie has a multistarcast, including Raj Kapoor himself. It is also partly based on his life. The music is provided superbly by Shankar Jaikeshen and the songs are meaningful and with emotions and are sung by the late Mukesh. Even after all these years, when I listen to the songs, I still find them full emotions but still fresh as ever and especially:"Jeena Hana Marna Hana" and Jane Kahan Gaye Woh Din." They say that Mukesh was Raj Kapoor's voice on the screen and this movies proves it. On the whole this is one movie that is worth to watch.

This film though stretched 3 hours and 44 minutes touches the human heart. Loving a girl next door, singing songs, marrying at the end were routine when this film was made.

Raj Kapoor who was famous for his innovative ideas and selection of plots for story aptly chose the untouched Joker as main character of his movie Mera Naam Joker. In different phases of the life he falls in love with different heroines, but always loses his love. This is the novelty in the story.

The dialogues like "kabhi mai bhi solah saal ka tha", Raj crying Maa...Maa.. touches the human heart.

Let the Film bombed at the box-office, but it was released for more than 30 times in Hyderabad(India)especially at Royal Theatre (Hyd, on all the occasions it ran for 40+ days.

I happened to watch this movie on all the releases, but every time the same age-old humane touch touched my heart. Even today, in the mechanical life, If I feel that I am becoming mechanical or going away from the humanitarian feelings, I simply close my bedroom doors, slid the CD in and watch this movie patiently. My heart weeps, my body becomes heavy and in the next morning I fully a human with concern towards my fellow beings.

In my life of 40 years I saw many a movie, but none touched my heart at Mera Naam Joker did.

I salute the thinker, director and brave producer...Late Raj Kapoor for producing the great movie Mera Naam Joker.

I consider Mera Naam Joker to be one of Raj Kapoor's finest movie followed by Sangam. As a child I disliked Mera Naam Joker,I thought it was dull then years later I watched it again and realised how wrong I was. Mera Naam Joker was Raj Kapoor's personal project,he invested millions and millions into MNJ only for it to fail miserably at the box office. Since it's release MNJ is regarded as a cult classic. Looking at the movie you can see where that money went,MNJ has cameos from Bollywood's leading actors:Dharmendra, Simi Garewal, Manoj Kumar,Rajendra Kumar,Dhara Singh and many more. Mera Naam Joker tells the story of a man who is lonely and unhappy and yet he spreads his happiness around the world dressed up as a clown. The music as per usual for a RK production is extraordinary, my favourite is Jeena Yahan Marna Yahn which has a haunting feel to it. It is a real shame that on it's release MNJ didn't get the recognition it rightfully deserves. MNJ is a unique movie experience that will touch people's heart and will remain fixed in their memory forever

Mera Naam Joker will always leave a lasting impression on me. The story was loosely based on Raj Kapoor's life & is a tale of divided into 3 chapters (as the joker would say the 1st chapter representing childhood, the 2nd youth & the 3rd ultimately old age). The film tells the story of a man searching for love, giving his heart & soul to entertain the world asking only for the world to have a place in its heart for him. His philosophy prevents him from showing the negative human emotions as the joker lives for the audience applause he can only laugh at the hardships in life, never allowed to shed a tear in sadness.

A scene that sums this up is when Raju (Joker) loses his mother to a heart attack (when she discovers her son has taken up the profession which killed her husband in a stunt that went horribly wrong). But as they say in showbiz the show must go on. Therefore Raju has no time to mourn for the mother who had supported him all his life. Carrying the guilt that he may have directly caused his mothers death he returns to the stage to his adoring public. However the heartache he feels overwhelms him & in a fit of total despair & loss he cries out 'Maa (mother) Maa'. As the circus clears Raju is the only person left standing alone with empty seats surrounding him. Kapoor effectively pulls off the act of shear desolation shielded by a veil of self-ridicule to really give you an impression of the inner torment that Raju eventually succumbs to.

If you are prepared to ignore the flaws in the film such as the over melodramatic parts (which there are plenty of) & prepared to watch the full 4 hours you should find Mera Naam Joker thoroughly consuming & invaluable insight into the life & relationships of an actor few have surpassed in the Indian film industry.

Mera Naam Joker is certainly one of the most insightful, heart-warming commercial films made in India. This film shows Raj Kapoor's orientation towards world classics. The cinematography is Tarkovskyish, Raj Kapoor's performance draws heavily from Charlin Chaplin, while the ending reminds of Fellini's Otto e Mezzo. This is possibly the greatest semi auto-biographical film- portrays major part of a person's life. It is the Indian Citizen Kane! Where it stands different from Citizen Kane or Otto e mezzo is its inherent optimism, and its commercial value. Raj Kapoor is not hesitant to show small dances and partial melodrama, and the message is loud and clear- 'Life goes on'! The last story (meena) seems out of place initially in this long film, but starts making sense when it depicts Raju's loneliness correctly.

The scene that steals the show is where Raju's mother dies and yet Raju enters the ring dressed as a clown yelling for his mother, squirts water from his eyes, and starts playing his violin- a wonderful depiction of his showman spirit. This film has everything in place, and I can't help but call it- my favourite Raj Kapoor classic!