Sunday, April 19, 2009

Annoying Anthems

Everybody seems to be having an 'anthem' these days. They are these "Kuch kar dikhayenge" "Hum honge kaamyaab" "Mutti mein dum hai" kinda JavedAkhtGulazirsh$&t

What's even more annoying is Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy composing all of them. Check out the following.

Anthem No.1 - Lead India

Lead India - the most over-rated campaign of all time. What has it done to India in the last one year apart from winning the coveted Cannes whatever award? Some few people came, spoke, got elected/ chosen and then what ? Anyway, Lead India part 2 is on now and to add 'josh' to it (Oh yes, how can I forget this word!) the 'anthem' is doing its second rounds. It has been composed by none other than the great Shankar Ehsaan and Loy and as usual Shankar sings and keduthufies it along with Sukhwinder denied-an-Oscar-ticket Singh adding the Punjab da munda dum to it.





"Tum chalo Hindustan chale..." - Yeah , what next ? "Hum Sab saath chaleinnnnn" in higgh pitch with some aaaahhhh....by Shankar Mahadevan? So predictable. Tirundungappa!

Anthem No. 2 - IPL on Max

Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy yagain. Now it's called 'Ek Desh - Ek Junoon'. I loved the TVC . Max always comes up with super campaigns for their channel. Last year's IPL campaign- Manoranjan Ka baap was kalakkals. I agree, the Bollywood retro-Deewaar-Sholay bit has been done to death but this still remains my favourite for the manda-kaanjing twist . And the trend continues with this year's Ek Desh Ek Junoon TVC. Nice thought, well shot.

But they have murdered their campaign adding this 'anthem' bit. Watch this kandravi song which is the 'anthem' of DLF-IPL on Max.





Oh, please to check out Shankar's speech on the song, at the press conference . " Hosh Udayenge.. Josh Udayange!" - Dai ! Naa unga Pall-a Udappayenge .

Anthem # 3 - Hero Honda dok dok

This one takes the cake. An 'anthem' for Hero Honda's Silver jubilee. Hero Honda's TVCs are verriii boring and yawwwwn quotient is very high. There was this 60 seconder ad last year featuring Hrithik Roshan, some cricketers and other extras. I don't want to bother you tube-ing.


And this year , they have an 'anthem' for 25th year - wow!!

Read this post on this ad.





"Dil ko Josh dedo...Aasmaan -Udaan chunaheee" - I am very sure the composers are the great anthem expert trio S-E-L. I used to be a great fan of Shankar Mahadevan till he started mook-singing these anthems . When these song play on radio, I don't know till the end if its for Lead India ,Max, Hero Honda or some party's election campaign.

Ok, forget the lyrics. All three anthems above, follow a set pattern - an alaapanai, a couple of gamakams and a high pitch that wants you to slap the singers and the composers .

With ICC Champions trophy around the corner, I am already dreading another set of anthems that will play on high rotate . Ok Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy, let me help you with the first line of the lyrics for the ICC 'anthem'...

...."Hum dikhayenge... humare mutthi main hai trophy... waapas leke aayenge... bharat humara shaan hai... hum josh udayenge... "

Chorus : Bharat humara shaan hai... Mutthi main dum hai.. (twice)

Shankar continues : Hum dikhayengeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Book Deke Dekho


This World Book Day on April 23rd, Radio Mirchi invites you to donate children's story books/ comics at any of the CROSSWORD book store's outlets in Mumbai or at Mirchi's office in Lower Parel, Mumbai before April 23rd. 

Please call 022- 40983000 for more details.

Do spread the word - forward this link or join the facebook community .