Phir mile sur

Zoom has launched the new version of "Mile sur mera tumhara" as "Phir mile sur". The video runs for more than 16 minutes. Some sites claim 60 celebrities while some say 70 icons have lent their support to this initiative. But, I could identify only 29 of them. Zoom has also given airing rights of the song to all major TV and Radio networks in the country. Today, I watched it in Times Now. Doordarshan with all its kendras is also expected to air the song. The song has been shot at many historical places.

The song starts with A.R.Rahman's music. In the beginning, I couldn't recognize the instrument. It looked like a Keyboard, but after sometime, I found it's name on one of the sides of the instrument. It's called as Continuum Fingerboard.

I thought Amitabh would come along with his son and daughter-in-law. He is the only icon from the original video to figure in the new one. Also, he is the only non-singer who has actually sung the opening lines himself. He sang in the backdrop of the Gateway of India. The song has also been shot near the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, where the 2008 Mumbai attacks had taken palce. The Shankar Mahadevan-Ehsaan-Loy trio sang near a sea-shore. I mistook the Sitar player Anoushka Shankar to Rukimini. She is the daughter of the Legendary Sitar Virtuoso Ravi Shankar.

Vikram sang on the shores of Elliot's beach in the backdrop of a Memorial. Many of us would have seen this memorial in a lot of movies, but we woudn't be knowing its significance. It is the Kaj Schmidt Memorial which was built to commemorate the gallantry of Schmidt, an European sailor, who had drowned near the spot trying to save the lives of others, on December 30, 1930. We have to thank the ZoOm team for shooting at this spot. Surya sang near a big stone, which I guess to be Mahabalipuram.

Aishwarya and Abhishek sang together in one of the temples. Mahesh Babu sang with a lot of elders and Zakir Hussain along with his two brothers gave a wonderful Tabla performance. Juhi Chawla sang near the golden temple. Shilpa Shetty sang with women installing Solar Panels. In Salman Khan's part, there was no singing. He, along with the deaf children sang the lyrics in sign language. Sivamani drumming in the water was very much different.

Amjad Ali Khan, the Sarod player performed with his two sons. K. J. Yesudas sang with his son and Mammooty, dressed in white dhoti did well. Louis Bank, the one who composed this music played along with his son. Shobana gave a Bharatanatyam performance. Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra, Aamir Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Shah Rukh Khan and Karan Johar did their part well.

Abhinav Bindra, Vijendra Kumar and Sushil Kumar formed a tri-colored outfit. Mary Kom, Saina Nehwal and Baichung Bhutia were other sports-persons.

The song ends with the Army, Navy and Defence parading, leaving the viewer's mind with the spirit of Unity in Diversity. The "making of Phir mile sur" videos have also been released and it's worth watching them.