Mera Naam Joker

Mera Naam Joker (translation: My Name is Joker) is a 1970 Hindi drama film directed by Raj Kapoor. The screenplay was written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas. This film was the debut of Rishi Kapoor. Mera Naam Joker is a film about a clown who must make his audience laugh at the cost of his own sorrows. The film is considered to be one of the lengthiest films of Indian cinema. After Sangam became a blockbuster, Mera Naam Joker was highly anticipated as it was six years in the making and was heavily publicized to be loosely based on Raj Kapoor's own life. Upon release the film turned out to be a critical and commercial disaster putting Kapoor into a financial crisis. The film was heavily panned for its length and plot. However, over the years, the film has gained a cult status and is regarded as a classic today. Both audience's and critics' response has turned highly favorable with the passage of time. An abridged version was released in the 1980s and had a highly successful run at the box office. Raj Kapoor termed this his favorite film and described it as having deep philosophical depth and meaning. The film is regarded as one of Kapoor's finest works today with film experts labeling it a 'misunderstood masterpiece'. The movie Bobby, which was released in the year 1973, was Rishi Kapoor's debut movie. Although it is widely believed that it the movie's purpose was to launch his son Rishi Kapoor's career, it's main purpose, as stated by Rishi Kapoor himself, was to clear the debts that Raj Kapoor had incurred due to Mera Naam Joker's unsuccessful run at the box-office.