Moscow, Russia: Hindi film “Mera Naam Joker” produced in 1970 is still considered as a classic movie of Hindi cinema and its character Marina is still popular among Indians.
She was called to India by Kapoor family in 2016 and now again he has been invited to visit Bollywood.
Screenplay written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, Mera Naam Joker is still one of the lengthiest (running time 255 minutes with two intervals) films of Indian cinema. Movie took six years in production and the first film to cast a Russian in leading role. Yabinkina Ksenia Lvovna (ябинкина Ксения Львовна) a ballet dancer and character actor of former Soviet Union was introduced in film as one of the leading female actress in Mera Naam Joker. Her character name was “Marina”. She is known as Ksana among Indians.
Marina became symbol of Russian beauty in subcontinent (India-Pakistan-Bangladesh).
Born on September, 1945, Yabinkina Ksenia Lvovna (ябинкина Ксения Львовна), 72 years Ksenia still remembers time she spent with Raj Kapoor and his family during production of Mera Naam Joker. Indian and Russian regional experts consider Mera Naam Joker as the most successful act of “Indian diplomacy” to capture Russian speaking population. First attempt of Indian cinema diplomacy was seen in Raj Kapoor’s film “Shree 420” through popular song “Mera Joota Hai Japani”.
Teachers of Russian school of Diplomacy used to cite Raj Kapoor as first practical diplomat of India though Kapoor had nothing to do with diplomacy or ministry of External Affairs of India.
Yabinkina Ksenia Lvovna (ябинкина Ксения Львовна) graduated from the Moscow Ballet School at the Bolshoi Theater in 1964 and was active at Bolshoi Ballet till 1987.
Raj Kapoor saw Ryabinkin in the role of the Swan Princess in Soviet film and invited her through Soviet Embassy in India. Her role in Mera Naam Joker (Russian name Моё имя Клоун) would remember for all times to come.
Russian cinema writers claim that Yabinkina Ksenia Lvovna became so popular in India that the then administration of Russia restricted her travel abroad ceause her photos images were printed souvenir goods and she became symbol of USSR. “Soviet Union took my popularity coldly and as a threat to image of USSR”, Ksenia Lvovna commented in one of her talks with media.
She was married with Russian interpreter Alexei Stychkin, with whom he lived for 26 years until his death. Her son Eugene is one of the popular actor of today’s Russia.
Now, she works as director of the ballet theater of the Kremlin Palace of Congresses and She teaches ballet art at a school.
