Phir Mile Sur

One of the most enduring memories of the late 80s television was the national integration video, Mile Sur Mera Tumhara. Launched on the republic day of 1988, the 5 minute song was homage to the idea of "unity in diversity". Needless to say, the hummable tune and the plethora of stars made the video an instant craze and till date it remains an icon.

Circa 2010 - The Times Group re-launched a new version naming it "Phir Mile Sur". The new version is more than 15 minutes long, has the entire Bollywood fraternity lining up and depicts “youngistan” in its colorful persona. But did it fail to strike a chord?

I watched the video courtesy YouTube and here's my reaction. Excruciatingly bad, it brings a sense of abomination. I am tired of watching the buy one, get two free package (read the Bachchans). And it is really very difficult to comprehend how Deepika Padukone's leggy avatar contributes to national integration. Aamir Khan, personal favourite that he is, seems to be selling TZP DVDs, the less said of Shahid and Ranbir Kapoor, the better. And above all, the patron saint of all mannerisms, the guiding angel of all the love that is in the air, arms stretched out, lips quivering - does he even need a name? Heads will burst; if this is "youngistan" or whatever such balderdash means, I would be happy dwelling in my glorious stone age with the old world charm of the original Mile Sur; a Amitabh Bachchan than a grumpier version out to prove his greatness, a thoughtful Kamalhasan than a Surya, a heady cocktail of Bengali illuminati than that I-smile-like-a-sheep Shaan - the older version does what it was originally intended to do - evoke emotion.

While I agree that some parts of the video have good intent but overall the video fails to connect. E.g., Amitabh in the opening sequence. The great actor that he is, he makes me feel tired these days. And in the song, he has such a prolonged presence, what more does he need to prove, what is there to prove apart from the fact that his son is a failed dumpster-of- an-actor, his daughter-in-law has been miserable in those crass crossovers and his family owns up all the juries in those ludicrous film awards. The idea is to focus on the theme, not the actor because the theme is much greater than Big/Small/Lady B.

The video had some glaring omissions too. My list of the celebrities who missed out:

· Hrithik Roshan and by extension the Khan and Roshan families and if you can stretch your imagination a little bit more, Barbara Mori and her entire Mexican nation. I mean it makes a better business sense to go for the Khan-Roshan combo than the buy one get two free logic (the Bachchans).

· Add a dollop of Jeetendra and you will have Ekta and her extended Balaji family. Her brother will be a bonus and Salman can play deaf and dumb with him. Two idiots, anyone?

· Why leave Dharmendra aside? He missed out on last term and it wouldn't be bad to see Sunny, Bobby, Esha, Ahana, Hema, Anil Sharma, Tara Singh etc. We could even include scenes of an Indo-Pak war.

· There was no Hurricane Katrina. She is ubiquitous these days and could have made a better Liril girl than Deepika. And with Katrina can come Singh is King, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Rajesh Khanna, Pushpa I hate tears, Nawab Pataudi, blackbucks, Saifina, Randhir Kapoor, Neetu Singh, Chintuji, I can't go on more - a melee of the biggest stars on this planet.

Overall rating - Disgusting, a sheer waste of time