Thaindian News

Mumbai, April 7 (IANS) Actor Randhir Kapoor, son of legendary filmmaker Raj Kapoor has revealed that after the debacle of his father’s ambitious project “Mera Naam Joker” in 1970, the family faced a major financial crunch.

“Mera Naam Joker” was a film about a clown who must make his audience laugh at the cost of his own sorrow.

“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,” Randhir told reporters here.

The actor had got together with his other two brothers - Rishi and Rajiv Kapoor - to announce the Raj Kapoor retrospective that will take place in Toronto June 26 in association with the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) and Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

Rishi Kapoor said: “Our father was a great man both in his personal and professional life. His passion and love for cinema shines through in all his movies and he has made a place for himself in the hearts of cinema lovers all over India. I’m thrilled about this retrospective of his work and cannot wait to see it.”

A total of 15 iconic Raj Kapoor films will be screened during the retrospective including “Aag”, “Awara”, “Shree 420″ and “Sangam” among others.

Also several pieces of memorabilia like costumes, cut-outs and props used during his films will be displayed.

A series of paintings inspired by Raj Kapoor films by Goa-based artist Seema Sardesai will also be showcased during the event.