Phir Mile Sur Mera Tumhara

I am sure no Indian from my generation would ever forget the "Mile Sur Mera Tumhara" song that was first televised on Independence Day of 1988 on Doordarshan immediately after Rajiv Gandhi's address to the nation. The film was produced by Lok Seva Sanchar Parishad, an initiative by the Ministry of Rural Development to promote public awareness. This first-of-its-kind film featured popular Indian achievers from all walks of life from musicians to sports persons to artists to film personalities. The film portrayed a beautiful amalgamation of diverse Indians and successfully captured the imagination of Indians at that time.

That gives me reason enough to feel excited when I heard the news that the song is now being recreated in 2010 as part of Republic Day celebrations. The Lok Seva Sanchar Parishad has since been disbanded and the initiative has been taken up by television channel Zoom TV (which IMHO is quite strange, given that I consider Zoom TV nothing more than a Bollywood gossip channel). Apparently it seems to have gotten the blessings of I&B ministry given that I&B minister Ambika Soni will unveil the song on 25th January.

I have read reports suggesting that the video would feature Indians of the new era.

Sports persons that have made the cut are Abhinav Bindra, Vijender Singh, Saina Nehwal, Baibhung Bhutia. The film would be rather incomplete if it did not have any cricketer feature in it. At a minimum, I'd like to Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid/Anil Kumble (both from Karnataka), Mahendra Dhoni and perhaps Saurav Ganguly. Representation from Hockey (Dhanraj Pillai is the only one that I can think of) is also a must - after all it is our national game.

On the acting front, Amitabh Bachchan stamps his authority by being the only individual to be featured in both versions of the song. He'd now be joined by his beta Abhishek and bahurani Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Not to be left far behind, best friends Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan are in. Soha Ali Khan will snatch away the glory from Bachchan Sr. if she makes it to the video - Not many people know that little Soha featured in the original version alongside father Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi. Representing the youngistan generation are Shahid Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone and apparently even Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi Anuskha Sharma (Wonder why?!?!)


Artists would be represented by AR Rahman, Zakir Hussain, Shreya Ghoshal, Shiamak Dawar, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Sivamani, Gurdas Mann, Pt. Shivkumar Sharma, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and more.

On a personal front, I would have loved to see achievers from other walks of life, like business, media, social workers, politicians also to have featured in the video. That would have served a holistic purpose of the song. Another idea would have been to give the composition of the new song to AR Rahman considering the magic that he has worked with Jana Gana Mana and Vande Mataram.

Here's hoping that the new version is one up over the older one albeit these being big shoes to fill in.

Leaving with a few video links courtesy youtube.





And this is the "Buland Bharat Ki Buland Tasveer" Ad. I am including it here since indigenously manufactured at the time of license raj era, Bajaj Scooters really was a case study. BTW, Bajaj last month announced that it would no longer be manufacturing Bajaj Scooters.