Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag 2 ????

No.. He'd dare not do that. (Then again, never say never). But what I am trying to say will make sense in a while.

Remember Mile sur Mera tumhara? Who doesnt? Everyone of us has grown up listening to this. Mile Sur, along with Baje Sargam, Ek Chidiya are among unerasable visual memories of childhood of most of us Indians.I know only four of the languages sung in this song, but i can sing the entire song, even today.

And then, on the 60th year of India's Republic day, TOI group (Zoom TV) decides to redo Mile Sur, calling it Phir Sur . Great idea, at the onset. Or is it?

I am in admiration of the gesture. I really am. I have myself felt that something to that effect has been long pending. In fact whenever I visit the cinemas and see the beautifully picturised Jana Gana Mana by Bharatbala, I think that this is something that matches the standards of Mile Sur. Why not extend the musicians to filmstars.

So when I finally saw Phir Mile Sur - I was already full of expectations. I missed a lot of its build-up campaign, (dont know if that was a good thing or a bad thing in hindsight). So I was unaware who was and was not in it. My first watch went in simply observing the different celebrities. Yes, my favorites were in it. But was Mile Sur ever about our favourites?

About the length

The length of the film is another Issue I have. 16 minutes?? What were they making, a documentary? (I wish they were). And why couldnt they simply go a few more minutes and actually shoot more, meaningful celebrities?

About the stars:

They can sure claim that the whos who are in it. But some choices and some omissions are hard to digest. Deepika Padukone is sure gorgeous, but is she deservingly there? Especially when actresses like Kajol and Tabu are conspicious in their absence (I give up on Madhuri and Sridevi - guess they are old now, but wouldve loved to see them). We have Abhishek Bachan as well as Ranbir Kapoor - the latter at least has some recent hits to boast of. Only Karan Johar makes it from behind the camera - not even Mani Ratnam or Resul Pookutty. Even an oscar didnt prove enough for an inclusion?

It looked like a times group event (filmfare awards types). The A-list made it.

Sportsmen are given such a second fiddle treatment. What with Bhaichung running in tracks and boxers taking dips, at the fag end, almost hurriedly. I am no cynic, but our olymians and sportsmen bring more international glory to the nation than the bollywood brigade.

Speaking of sports, no cricketers? no SACHIN? no leander? no sania?

About the music:

I am no last word on this. But I can listen. Mile Sur was not about one same tune or rythm. So I am okay with the fact that Phir Mile Sur sounds like a chop-cut-paste of different music pieces coming together to form one song. That's the very essence of the lyric, isnt it? But here, the remix versions sound a bit too wannabe. Or - unnecessary? Here too some seem missing - Alka Yagnik, Hariharan, Lata, Asha?

About the direction:

It is obvious the director ran out of (or didnt think of) enough visuals. Whats with some artists in front of beautiful locales, some shot in front of blue screens to morph a background later? Some places are stunning. Watch Shobanas Bharatnatyam afront scenic temple tops. And cut to open roof buses in Mumbai? It seems the production value for this was low. And the money has been spent inconsistently.

Overall

Heres my great realisation. This is exactly where Ram Gopal Verma Ki Aag went wrong. Remaking a legend is no child play or even that of an expert. And not giving enough attention to details or tampering the basic script is a recipe for ruin. So this attempt to get Surs together, is bad as watching RGV ki Aag. I might sound too harsh, but it is an anology to express the creative crime that has been comitted here. Sorry, not done!

There might be those who might ask, for all that I am speaking, could I have made it better? Could I possibly make it better - you know what, I would dare not! Dont go messing around with Sholay, Dont go messing around with Mile Sur.

The original made me proud of India, made me endear its different regions. Told me about fishermen, elephant riders, the kolkata metro, the railway, and the rich beauty of our languages, and cultures. It brought the music, sport, cinema AND Common man together. The remake was on TV sometime back, I switched the channel.

Kartik K J