On October 2, Jermaine, Michael Jackson’s older brother, arrived in Mumbai. He has now started rehearsing for a video that will be picturised on the song, Let’s go to Mumbai city, featuring singer-composer Adnan Sami and him.
Remo will choreograph the song that will be shot all over Mumbai, including the Gateway of India, Haji Ali, the slums and the terrace of a building that offers a panoramic view of the city.
Remo says that the night before Jermaine arrived, he couldn’t sleep. And when he first set his eyes on the singer, he was left speechless by his striking resemblance to his late brother. “Jermaine is almost exactly like Michael in the ways he talks and sings. But while he may be as good a singer as MJ, he’s not as good a dancer as him,” admits Remo. He informs that when he showed Jermaine the first steps he had choreographed for him, he was laughingly told, “Hey, I’m not MJ. Don’t give me such difficult moves.”
Trademark moves
Remo admits that although “nobody can be as good as MJ”, he still wants to try out Michael’s trademark moves with his brother. Sami may be experimenting with the Moonwalk too.
It was the dance director’s dream to get MJ to dance to his steps some day. “I saw Michael only once, in 1996 when he was down for a concert, stepping out of the Andheri Sports Complex. I was standing in the crowd and was completely star-struck,” recalls Remo. He couldn’t get within a feet of MJ, but he’s got JJ’s happy feet dancing all over town for him now.
The song came to Remo a month ago. The video will be filmed over three days, from October 9 to October 11, and Remo’s hoping that the dark clouds clear by then, even though it would be interesting shooting in the rains.
“Mumbai has been the subject of several films and songs but it has rarely been shot in late monsoons before,” he says. Remind him that the rains could bring outdoor shoots to a halt and Remo is quick to add: “If that happens, I’m sure Jermaine would stay back till the song is wrapped up.”
Bollywood ho
The song will have an international treatment but with Bollywood elements. “It’s a very big project for me and I’m hoping it will be as popular as Jai Ho,” says Remo.
Jermaine is undoubtedly the star attraction, but Remo is sure that people are just as eager to see a slim and trim Adnan Sami back on screen. He says, “They loved him in Lift kara de… when he was fat. I’m sure they will love him even more now that he’s shed all those unnecessary kilos.”
Bollywood ho
The song will have an international treatment but with Bollywood elements. “It’s a very big project for me and I’m hoping it will be as popular as Jai Ho,” says Remo.
Jermaine is undoubtedly the star attraction, but Remo is sure that people are just as eager to see a slim and trim Adnan Sami back on screen. He says, “They loved him in Lift kara de… when he was fat. I’m sure they will love him even more now that he’s shed all those unnecessary kilos.”