Ukranian poster of Raj Kapoor' 'Mera Naam Joker' sold at a much higher price than Amitabh Bachchan's movie posters at an auction - Exclusive

At an auction held recently Raj Kapoor's lesser known 1960 film 'Banwara's' poster and 'Mera Naam Joker's' Ukrainian release poster set a world record for Indian Vintage film memorabilia at its Raj kapoor@100 online auction. 'Banwara' was sold for over Rs 5lakh the Ukrainian poster of Mera Naam Joker was sold for Rs 1.5lakh. Etimes spoke to SMM Ausaja who is an author, film historian and memorabilia archivist about the bid and Raj Kapoor..

Why do you feel Raj kapoor Posters sold for a record price?
The poster was visually brilliant, and very rare since it's not a film that did well, and therefore a forgotten gem. Thats one reason it elicited interest of the avid collector. Secondly its the legendary director's centenary taking off so the focus is more on him these days. Lastly, an auction is generally successful on competitive bidding, and in this case several bidders were competing, and therefore the bids went through the roof creating a world record. What can be a better tribute to the showman than this as his centenary takes off.

Even Mera Naam Joker's Ukrainian poster did well..
Raj Kapoor attained global popularity, especially in the Soviet Union, beginning with the success of Awara. Thereafter all his films were released with great fanfare abroad. This rare Mera Naam Joker poster which fetched a record price is one such international release original poster. Its value in the auction went up due to competitive bidding by avid collectors, thereby creating a record.

Is true that Raj kapoor poster has fetched more than Amitabh Bachchan?
It has created a record, that has gone beyond all posters sold so far, not just Bachchan's.

Does 'Bobby' also attracts a lot of bid and Raj kapoor still has a huge draw?
Bobby attracted multiple bids. The attraction i guess was also for Rishi Kapoor ( being his spectacular debut), besides Raj Kapoor. Also his film Bobby, now over 50 years since its release, continues to hold a special place in the hearts of audiences, celebrated for its portrayal of innocent yet determined young lovers. The auction of these show cards saw significant interest, culminating in a winning bid of ₹106,400 ($1,280 / £1,065). The lasting appeal of 'Bobby' showcases the film's continued relevance and the deep emotional connection across generations.
Do you plan to something with the Kapoor family to celebrate the centenary year?
This was an initiative for kick Starting RK centenary. We would love to do more in the future if we manage to get the family support.


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