Once rejected by audience and critics upon its release, the film ‘Mera Naam Joker’ is considered as a classic today. The film marked the grand opening of film festival ‘Ekagra’ at Bharat Bhavan here on Tuesday.

The festival is being organised by Chhavi wing of Bharat Bhavan in the memory of Raj Kapoor. Mera Naam Joker is a 1970 Indian drama film, directed and produced by Raj Kapoor, and written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas.

The film stars Kapoor as the eponymous character, with Simi Garewal, Kseniya Ryabinkina and Padmini in supporting roles, and was also the debut of Rishi Kapoor. The plot focuses on a clown who must make his audience laugh at the cost of his own sorrows. Three women who shaped his life view his final performance.

The film is one of the lengthiest films of Indian cinema. After Sangam became a blockbuster, Mera Naam Joker was highly anticipated as it was under production for six years and heavily publicized, loosely based on Kapoor's own life. The film's music, still very popular, was composed by Shankar Jaikishan, for which the duo got their ninth Filmfare award.

Chubby Raj Ranbir lives a poor lifestyle in Southern India along with his widowed mom. Raj studies in a prestigious school while his mom stitches clothes for a living. When Raj finds out his father's profession, he decides to follow his footsteps, much to chagrin of his mother. Thus begins Raj's journey. He becomes the joker.

Along the way, Raju loves and loses, but must always keep a smile on his face because, in the words of his circus manager, "The show must go on." Over six years in the making, Mera Naam Joker is Raj Kapoor's semi-autobiographical story of the life, love, and philosophy of an entertainer.