Mera Naam Joker

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!

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.

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.

Raj Kapoor presents an hypothetical autobiography of scathing power that might be his most uncompromising movie and true legacy. Rishi Kapoor plays the young Raj very convincingly and I found the first part to be the most refreshing and touching. The Joker's philosophy is true but does not have may buyers but use this movie as a grand scale memento mori. Check out Raj Kapoor's 'Jagte Raho' for a more devastating social critique. The film is unique for a true Indo-Russian love story and dialogue in Russian. Love and let live.

I will not repeat the same thing which is already covered by others. Mera Naam Joker I would say Raj Kapoor's one of the finest work in his career. A series followed after Awara, Sree 420, and Jagte Raho. Infect in true senses he expressed his real tribute to himself, his career. Whatever he learned he put everything into this. The philosophy says "the show must go on" who knows more than an actor. So whether he is happy or sad or crying he should always look happy and never show traces of his personal anguish. Personally Raj Kapoor was inspired by Charley Chaplin's work and we get the glimpse in his early movies. His philosophy behind this movie is true and very natural. Lets discuss different stages one by one.

Episode I

Adolescent infatuation, his thoughts, his dreams are true and I must say everyone must have faced the same situation with his teacher when in school. His point here only depicts how a young developing mind fantasies. His gesture to present his idol joker to his teacher is a very philosophical thought that only a director like Raj Kapoor can think. He repeats the same with other two women and gets it back all the time.

Episode II

This version depicts the young and passionate love of joker Raju. He tried to show a person in this age group does not think anything other than love, he thinks for romance and fantasies. Here too joker loves, dreams and shows his innocent heart. Raj Kapoor gave his life's best performance as a young joker.

Episode III

I would say this part was the only reason for the movie's failure. People at that time were not used to see mature love story. It was the time when they were used to see Shammi Kapoor's kind of love stories with young and sweet actresses. Padmini's appearance in the last episode makes the movie relatively dull as she was not a very talented actress rather a great dancer. She was never successful in her career in Hindi movies. However Raj Kapoor acted very well in as mature joker. His philosophy extends in this one. As he shows every one is a joker in his life. Life is a stage and everyone needs to perform his part and continue with his journey.

The symbol joker was returned to him thrice as if his heart was given back. His last duologue touches the most when his says his play will not stop here this is just an interval , which may be for 15 min,15 hours or 15 months so please don't go away . He said whatever he wanted to convey from this movie . He tried to prove that from this movie joker's next phase starts and surely after that he never acted in his movies as a hero. He chose his next episode where joker was directing other jokers for his show. Certainly it is his autobiographical work. At last I must say no one can replace a director like Raj Kapoor.