Clowning is no joke

A clown can go beyond making people laugh or weep at human travails and foibles to become the ‘‘largest performing rabbit’’, whose words and acts work as a rapier on the conscience, like playwright and performer Dario Fo, who has been thumbing his nose at the establishment for more than four decades, writes Raja Jaikrishan

EVER heard of clowns taking themselves seriously? Recently they did so.They gathered at Toronto to talk shop. Many had their faces painted and wore coloured wigs, baggy pants and giant shoes and blew soap bubbles, among other things.

One might agree with clown Berman when he says: ‘‘It requires absolutely no skills’’. Arleen Feen, president of the 4000-member World Clown Association says ‘‘The thrill of performing and the desire to make money motivates all clowns. But for the really good entertainers it’s from the heart.’’

These words flash before the mind’s eye the indelible image of Charles Chaplin. He said about his dress ‘‘I thought I would dress in baggy pants, big shoes, a cane and a derby hat. I wanted everything that was a contradiction: the pants baggy, the coat tight, the hat small and shoes large.’’

In his middle period films, says Jonathan Cecil commenting on The Chaplin Encyclopaedia, ‘‘laughter and emotions fuse perfectly. The slow ambiguous ending of City of Lights, where the cured blind girl sees her benefactor for the first time in all his ragged squalor, is no less moving for following some of the funniest sequences ever filmed, notably the boxing match where Charlie’s novel blow-dodging technique utterly disconcerts the granite-faced opponent.’’

Chaplin’s Indian acolyte, Raj Kapoor, reflected changes of a nation which was coming into its own after gaining Independence from the colonial rule. In Shree 420, a poor, educated, honest Raju arrives in the big city, with big hopes, bigger dreams, a Japani joota and a lal topi, only to be faced with the unenviable task of choosing between integrity and success. The two women between whom he must choose, also reflect the two ends of the same spectrum.

Troubled by a mistrustful father and problems of roti, kapda aur makaan, Raju grows up to be a cynical thief in Awara. Fate intervenes and brings a childhood sweetheart back into his life and the two sing "....hum na rahenge, tum no rahoge, phir bhi rahengi nishaniyan....’’

Raj made many more films with varying social concerns but spectacle and romance remained two flagmasts of his dream ship.

He sings in Shree 420 ‘‘Us desh mein, tere pardes mein, Sone chandi ke badle mein bikte hain dil, Is desh mein, pyaar ke chhaooan mein, pyaar ke naam par hi dhadakte hain dil.....’’

In the egotistical film Mera Naam Joker, Raju’s love remains unrequited. As an awkward adolescent he has a crush on his svelte school teacher. As a clown in the circus he gets infatuated with a Russian gymnast and as a guide and guru he seeks the love of a classical dancer. But his show of life goes on and he sings:

‘‘Yeh mera geet, jeevan sangeet
Kal bhi koi dohrayega,
Jug ko hasane bahroopiya
Roop badal phir aiyega’’

‘‘Clowns are the most giving, the most loving, the most sharing people around’’, says George Kondiles, a retailer of clowning ware at the Toronto Clown’s Conclave.

While Chaplin was hailed as a legend during his lifetime, the world over, Raj Kapoor was acknowledged as the showman of his times in India and the then Soviet Union. Rumour has it Chairman Mao cited Awara as his favourite film. Pandit Nehru appreciated Raj for his socialistic approach to different issues.

A clown can go beyond making people laugh or weep at human travails and foibles to become the ‘‘largest performing rabbit’’, whose words and acts work as a rapier on the conscience, like playwright and performer Dario Fo, who has been thumbing his nose at the establishment for more than four decades.