{"id":5965,"date":"2020-12-18T00:00:20","date_gmt":"2020-12-17T18:30:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/?p=5965"},"modified":"2020-12-18T11:57:28","modified_gmt":"2020-12-18T06:27:28","slug":"mera-naam-joker-50-years-ago","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/mera-naam-joker-50-years-ago\/","title":{"rendered":"Mera Naam Joker \u2013 50 Years Ago"},"content":{"rendered":"

The rare double spread advertisement used in the story is courtesy Vivek Kumar<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Mera<\/a>

Mera Naam Joker<\/em> release advertisement published as a double page spread in Screen, dated Dec 18, 1970<\/p><\/div>\n

Raj Kapoor’s magnum opus and most ambitious film Mera Naam Joker<\/em> was released on 18th Dec 1970 at Bombay Delhi UP. I would also call it his most difficult film.\u00a0 Today fifty years after its release I recall some memories of the film.<\/p>\n

I was in the First year of my College in Delhi University and saw the film first weekend at the ‘now closed’ KC Cinema in Faridabad. The film was unduly long with two intervals \u2013 a length of four hours was uncommon ‘even in those standard times’. The entire length\u00a0was divided into three chapters of the Joker\u2019s story.<\/p>\n

The first part had Raju as a young adult school boy played by Rishi Kapoor in his debut film. The second part revolved around Raju as the young man trying to become a Joker and his experience in Russian Circus. And the third part was a mature Raju making a living\u00a0as a street performer in Bombay. In each of the three parts, Raju was attracted to a woman. He lost them all in the end.<\/p>\n

The entire storyline was interwoven with some fine songs, picturised beautifully. The circus sequences were expected to be a great draw, at least with the children. Raj Kapoor was so firm and sure about the success of the film that he planned a Part 2\u00a0even before the release. Recall the last scene where Raju confirms to the audience \u2018Joker ka tamasha abhi khatam nahin hua’<\/em>\u00a0(The Joker\u2019s show has not ended.)<\/p>\n

“The Joker was conceived as early as the post Awara <\/em>years and Abbas sahib’s marathon script was the result of years of visualization and labour. Still many a year and many a film was to pass before I finally mustered up enough courage to actually go down to making it.”
\n~ Raj Kapoor Speaks<\/em>, by his daughter the Late Ritu Nanda.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Cinegoers had something\u00a0else in mind and within the first three days they rejected the film and it proved to be a box-office disaster.<\/p>\n

Shankar Jaikishan, his long time partners in composing music were the only bright spot the audience appreciated. The songs, written by and the music in the film made those scenes come alive. To give an example, Jaane kahan gaye wo din<\/em>\u00a0(Hasrat Jaipuri) depicted pain, Jeena yahan marna yahan<\/em> (Shaily Shailendra) was life\u2019s eternal philosophy, Kehta hai joker sara zamana<\/em> (Neeraj) was a strong comment on hypocrisy,\u00a0Ae bhai zara dekh ke chalo<\/em> (Neeraj) was loaded with sarcasm.<\/p>\n

Jaane kahan gaye wo din<\/strong><\/em> (Mera Naam Joker<\/em>, 1970) Shankar Jaikishan \/ Hasrat Jaipuri \/ Mukesh<\/span><\/p>\n