British belt out Chammak Challo

It was a rare sight at India gate on Saturday evening. The famed British stiff upper lips did tremble and for what? United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force band belted out Chammak Challo from Shah Rukh Khan and Kareena Kapoor’s Ra.One.

It was a rare sight at India gate on Saturday evening. The famed British stiff upper lips did tremble and for what? United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force band belted out Chammak Challo from Shah Rukh Khan and Kareena Kapoor’s RA.One.

While playing with the Indian Air Force band at India Gate, they took the audience by surprise when they played the popular Bollywood number. “It was part of our preparation for the India trip. We decided to look at what is most popular here. This was one among the 10 most popular songs in the country. So we decided to play it,” says Steve Maher, drum major of the band.

“From first listening to it, to playing it, it took us just two days,” he says adding that the audience’s reaction “was fantastic and very entertaining.” Has the band seen Bollywood movies? “I haven’t, but some of the guys in the band have. We play more of British military music. But we enjoyed this so we would like to play more Bollywood music,” he says.

Music composer Vishal Dadlani who composed the song says, "Gotta say, it feels good! It’s awesome that our music reaches almost every corner of the planet now."