Shaan, Sunidhi's new jingle for UPA

Starting tomorrow, UPA II will go to town with its side of the story, told through a blend of television, print and social media ads in 11 regional languages. Zia Haq reports.

The Manmohan Singh-led coalition believes there's more to the UPA II than scandals, crises and the Opposition's tirades.

So, starting tomorrow, it will go to town with its side of the story, told through a blend of television, print and social media ads in 11 regional languages.

The campaign, called "The India Story over 9 Years" and driven by information and broadcasting minister Manish Tewari, showcases UPA's key pro-poor programmes and public delivery schemes with 13 ad spots and a soundtrack.

Tewari also unveiled what could be the UPA II's new anthem, a jingle titled Meelon hum aagaye, meelon hume jaana hai (We've come a long way, a long way we'll go)", sung by well-known crooners Shaan and Sunidhi Chauhan.

The ads, costing about Rs. 16 crore to produce, have been directed by film-maker Pradip Sarkar who made the 2005 hit Parineeta.

Broadcasting expenses could take total spending to over R100 crore, a former official who handled such projects, said.

Rejecting comparisons with the NDA's "India Shining" campaign, Tewari told HT: "India Shining was an exercise in hype and hoop-la. This is a humble attempt to tell the India story as it silently unfolded."

The informercials depict the impact of the UPA policies on citizens and build on its rural infrastructure programme, Bharat Nirman.