'Mera Naam Joker' is said to have been a project very close to Raj Kapoor's heart, but the film was initially a huge flop. The nearly five-hour long film saw the filmmaker get an entire circus troupe from Russia to star alongside him and a slew of Indian actors in what was primarily a story about a clown's life. It had at the time nearly driven the Kapoors to sell off their famous RK Studios.
Actor Randhir Kapoor, eldest son of Raj Kapoor, had revealed some years back that the family had faced some serious financial crunch after the debacle of the film. But he went on to describe how the movie has become a cult classic and is currently the biggest money earner for the family.
"We were facing a financial crunch in the early 1970s because 'Mera Naam Joker' didn't work and we suffered huge losses because of that. Mera Naam Joker was closest to my father's heart. He was very fond of that picture and he has made it with a lot of passion, great love and lots of money according to those days. But it flopped."
"But as of today, that film is the biggest profit point for R.K films. Wherever it has screened in festivals or on TV, it earns money for us. It's a super duper hit for us. And I'm sure wherever my father is today, up above, he will be really proud of this film,' said Randhir.
