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Grammy song to fresh images

The Luther Vandross number, `Dance with My Father' comes in a new avatar, with the same soulful voice but `desi' visuals

REMIX RHAPSODY Tom George gives an old number a new look

Of late, remixes don't make you feel that the original tune has been savaged, as it did when the trend started about a decade ago. Now, here's a new trend, remix of music videos: A desi video version of Luther Vandross's celebrated Grammy award winning song, `Dance With My Father.' The romantic music maker's soul stirring title song of the album so touched chartered accountant and movie maker Tom George that he made a video remix version of it for his countrymen, keeping intact the voice of the stalwart. He has timed the release of the album, one year after Luther Vandross died (in June 2005), as a tribute of sorts to the singer who so valued relationships and sang of it.

Tom says that in a world where parents are taken for granted, the song is an eye opener and the right soul food for youth. For instance, the lyrics, `If I could get another chance, another walk, another dance with him,' speak about second chances, an attempt to go back in time and do many things over, a feeling that people get once their loved ones are gone forever. The making of the desi video has been crisply done, simple and in keeping with the feelings it brings. The visuals are pan Indian and global to a limited extent. You see famous fathers and sons, as also famous people, from Gandhiji to Tiger Woods to Pramod Mahajan and his son, Rahul. Prince William and our own Nayanar feature in the visuals. A rare still of K.J. Jesudas and his father is interesting. Juni and Niranjana are the main characters in the music video, photographed by Jithu Palakkad.

Relationships

"Through this album, I wish to highlight a son or daughter's perspective, their realisation of lost time, their fond reminiscence of the times gone by and finally their desire for another chance to be with their beloved parents even if it be for a fleeting second," says Tom, who is busy with his mega project, a directorial venture, the Hollywood bound feature film, `Gandhi Park.'

"We are through with casting, it's a contemporary, romantic comedy which depicts the struggles and tensions that ensue when the love of an Indian girl and an all-American boy runs against family traditions."

The movie showcases an immigrant's dilemma, their duality of existence and their struggle to reconcile their traditions with the customs of their adopted country.

PREMA MANMADHAN

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