By : Prof. Dr. Mohan Das, Producer-Eon Films & Consulting Editor-ICN
MOSCOW : Over five decades after Raj Kapoor’s ‘Mera Naam Joker’ found unexpected success in Russia, the spirit of the Indian clown is set to return to Moscow. This time, through a quiet man from Kolkata named Bagambar Bera in a remarkable indie film by director Sourish Dey.
Bera isn’t a star. He’s a joker—literally. He paints his face, wears the red nose, and makes children laugh at weddings and birthdays. But now, his life has inspired a film—Joker, directed by Sourish Dey—that has been selected for the 47th Moscow International Film Festival.
Produced by *Mohan Das* of *Eon Films* & Sourish Dey of Shotcut Films, what makes this film extraordinary isn’t just its story—it’s how it’s told. Unlike conventional films, Joker uses an innovative technique that sets it apart—nearly 60,000 still photographs out of 84,046 photographs were used to create a stop-motion narrative. Crafting an emotional mosaic of a performer’s life, it’s a first for Indian and perhaps global cinema: A full-length feature to employ this method, which offers a deeply textured portrayal of the protagonist’s emotional journey made entirely without traditional videography.
The seed of this film was planted when Dey met Bera while researching for a documentary. “He began sharing personal stories—his struggles, his craft, his identity as a performer. I realised this needed to be more than a documentary. I felt making a feature film to portray his struggle would be more interesting. It had to be a cinematic tribute,” said Dey, who wore many hats—editor, colourist, screenwriter—throughout the project.
Reflecting on the project, Mohan Das shared, “While Sourish was working on his earlier film ‘Furut’, he told me about his concept for Joker. His choice to use stop-motion was not only artistic and symbolic, but creative and meaningful as well. The still images reflect the fragmented yet enduring spirit of a clown—frozen smiles, silent heartbreaks, and an applause that quickly fades.”
“When the director first approached me, I had doubts. Later, I gained confidence,” said Bera, who has previously acted in acclaimed films like Buddhadeb Dasgupta’s ‘Uttara’ and later in Kaushik Ganguly’s ‘Chhotoder Chhobi’ and Srijit Mukherji’s ‘Dawshom Awbotaar’. He has spent decades entertaining others with little recognition. Yet, Joker is different—it’s about him.
Bera’s own journey with the “Joker” archetype began 15 years ago when he first watched ‘Mera Naam Joker’. Captivated by Kapoor’s portrayal, he absorbed the mannerisms into his own act, never dreaming that life would one day loop back and connect him to Moscow.
The filming process was intense—nine-hour days of still photography shot over several weeks, to meticulously capture the thousands of frames required for the unique visual format with Pramit Das leading the camera work, supported by Pabel Das and Nilanjan Karmakar. The result? A deeply textured, visually unique film that conveys the heartbreak, hope, and humour of a man whose stage is a birthday party, and whose spotlight is often overlooked.
The Moscow premiere is scheduled for April 22 at ‘Karo 11 Oktyabr’ cinema. Dey along with his producer Mohan Das and his creative team will be there to attend the screening. Bera hopes to be in the audience one day—but he still doesn’t have a passport. “A few people here know my film is going to Moscow, but most are unaware,” he says quietly.
The upcoming Moscow screening of Joker resonates powerfully with cinematic history. In 1972, Raj Kapoor sold the Russian rights to ‘Mera Naam Joker’ for Rs 15 lakh after it failed at the Indian box office. The film went on to become a massive hit in the USSR, grossing over Rs 17 crore, and cementing Kapoor’s legacy there. Now, 53 years later, another “Joker” from India is poised to leave his mark in Russia—this time, not as a legend, but as a man whose real-life story embodies the silent dignity of the clown.
In a way, Bera’s story mirrors Kapoor’s Joker—a man hiding pain behind paint, telling stories through smiles. And just like in 1972, Russia might once again be the place where the world finally sees him.
Prof. Dr. Mohan Das
