CWG theme song made peppier

Amid criticism that it failed to meet the expectations of the people, the theme song of the Commonwealth Games composed by A R Rahman will be tweaked a bit to make it peppier.

The original version of the song ' India bula liya' was panned by critics and was also criticised by CWG Organising Committee's executive board member V K Malhotra and other leaders for "falling short of expectations".

A Group of Ministers on Commonwealth Games gave the green signal to the theme song after agreeing to certain changes in it.

"The final rendering of theme song by Rahman along with the visuals were shown today and it is being cleared," said Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy, after the GoM meeting.

When asked whether there was problem with the earlier version, he said, "We as ministers do not sit on judgments on the work by acknowledged persons. Rahman was requested and he has done his work. Going by authority we approved the work."

About the new version, sports secretary Sindhu Shree Khullar said: "There will be more music, particularly instrumental, in the opening theme song of the Games."

Asked whether the tweaked version will be like Shakira's ' Waka Waka', the World Cup Football song, he said: "Waka Waka was more commercial. Ours will be like Chak de."

'Chak de' is a famous number in the hockey-themed film "Chak De", starring Shah Rukh Khan.

Lyricist Prasoon Joshi said some instrumental music have been added to make the theme song peppier and a video is under preparation.

The video will feature sports personalities like Milkha Singh, K Malleswari and other achievers in the field.

Asked whether Rahman's song had been changed, Joshi said the music composer himself has made it tighter and "you will hear it in the new video.

"Rahman always changes his work till the last minute. He is a good craftsman. The song has now been turned into a sports anthem. It has been pepped up with more beats and it will be a tighter version of the original."

Joshi said the "premature" criticism that came Rahman's way after the song was launched last month is not the reason behind the change.

He indicated that the video will be released in a week.

Among others who attended the GoM were Tourism Minister Kumari Selja, Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit, Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi and Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar.

Jiyo, Utho, Badho, Jeeto: Rahman beckons Commonwealth

Jiyo Utho Bado Jeeto (Live, Rise, Ascend, Win) is music maestro A. R. Rahman’s call to the people and athletes of Delhi, India and the entire Commonwealth. The Oscar winning composer today launched XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi’s theme song in a glittering ceremony held in Gurgaon. Chief Minister of Haryana Mr. Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Chief Minister of Delhi Mrs. Sheila Dikshit and Chairman of the Organising Committee Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi Mr. Suresh Kalmadi, MP, also graced the occasion.

The amphitheatre echoed with applauds as Rahman took centre-stage and sang the theme song. The song was full of energy, vibrancy of youth and spirit of athletes. It was Rahman’s call to rise and win and spectators followed suit. With appreciating whistles, swings, twists and taps, Rahman rocked.

Humble as ever, Rahman said, “It’s definitely an honour composing this theme song. I hope people like it and it becomes the spirit of whole Commonwealth Games”.

(Click here to subscribe to Commonwealth Games feed)

Watch Video here:

Mr. Kalmadi was happy with the response and he said this is going to be the turning point for Commonwealth Games.

“From now onwards you will hear this song day-in and day-out”, he said. He further thanked Mr. Rahman for his effort and said, “You’ve delivered a great commodity, which is going to be the pride of India”.

Delhi Chief Minister was confident that Delhi will achieve the best ever Games held anywhere in the world. “I join everybody else in the belief that these Games being held in India for the first time will be memorable”, she said.

She thanked Rahman for the song and said that there was no better person than him to compose this song. “We will swing with the tune and it is pretty”.

Haryana Chief Minister expressed his support to make Delhi 2010 successful and was confident that athletes from Haryana will win more medals for the country.

Earlier Sadhya Dance Group performed on maestro’s Oscar Award winning song Jai Ho followed by dilli mein dhamal by Zenith Group.

Actors and Dancers Mr. Husain Kuwajerwala, Ms. Gauhar Khan and Ms. Kashmira Irani gave an astounding dance performance on the theme of Gypsy Prince Zangoora. Choreographed by renowned dance director Mr. Shiamak Dawar, the performance started with Husain descending from the top clasped in an eagle’s clutches and that clicked its connection with the audience which rocked further with Gauhar’s and Kashmira’s sways.

Rahman's Commonwealth Games theme song approved by GoM

Music maestro A R Rahman on Monday launched the theme song for Commonwealth Games 2010 here after the Group of Minister (GoM) on the Games approved the tune on Sunday.

(Watch video of Commonwealth Games theme song)

Dedicating the song to Mahatma Gandhi, Rahman said it is not similar to Shakira's Waka Waka, the official song of FIFA World Cup 2010, but it is full of energy and asked the crowd at the function to join in with him.

The Oscar winner's song will be sung in the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony in October. The song composed by Oscar winning musician A.R. Rehman would be made public in the coming ten days. After the two-hour meeting, union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy said that the song will be the last song of the opening ceremony.

(Watch video of Commonwealth Games theme song)

Games' Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi said he has heard the song and " it is beautiful."

The approval for the tune came hours after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's appeal on his Independence Day to treat the Games as a national festival.