The Nature of Philosophical and Materialistic Existence in Raj Kapoor's "Jeena Yahan Marna Yahan"| Mera Naam Joker (1970)
Tuli Research Centre for India Studies (Editor)
Document TypeIn-house Video
Date06 August 2026
FormatVertical Video
Description
A philosophical take on life itself, the song "Jeena Yahan Marna Yahan" is from Raj Kapoor’s semi autobiographical film, Mera Naam Joker (1970). Written by his close friend and collaborator, Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, the music was composed by Shankar-Jaikishan, with lyrics by Shailendra, whom Raj Kapoor fondly called his ‘Pushkin’.
Although considered a timeless track today, the film itself tanked at the box-office, only to gain cult status years later. A meditation on life and its vagaries, "Jeena Yahan Marna Yahan" captures Kapoor’s vision of the nature of existence, love, and the innate belief that the show that must go on.
This clip is from the workshop "A Musical Glue for Nation-Building: Deconstructing the Film Song," conducted by the Tuli Research Centre for India Studies (T.R.I.S.) at the 7th Self-Discovery via Rediscovering India Festival, featuring Madan Gopal Singh, Amit Khanna, Ravikant, Juhi Saklani, and Neville Tuli.