Formula 1 gets a Hindi anthem

Formula One debuts in India next weekend. And now it has a Hindi anthem too — Hum Mein Raftaar, Jeene Baar Baar…. Leslie Lewis of Colonial Cousins fame composed the tune and sung it along with...

Formula One debuts in India next weekend. And now it has a Hindi anthem too — Hum Mein Raftaar, Jeene Baar Baar…. Leslie Lewis of Colonial Cousins fame composed the tune and sung it along with Daler Mehndi, Lucky Ali and KK. It was released last Tuesday during the launch of the first Buddh racing circuit. The quartet will be performed live at the Grand Prix on October 30.

Last year, Daler also crooned the theme song for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi and sung the anthem for Preity Zinta’s IPL team, Kings XI Punjab. Excited at this new sporting opportunity that, he is confident, will open new avenues for all four artistes, he says, “It’s an interesting composition by Leslie, with the F1 track song and our national anthem, Jana Gana Mana… incorporated. It should appeal to both the young and the old.” The singer took just 30 minutes to dub his portion.

The Bhangra king is a self-confessed car buff and admits that whenever a new model comes to India, he likes to be the first to have it. “Right now I have three cars in my garage, including a Range Rover. It’s not possible to race down Indian roads, but whenever I’m abroad, I satiate my passion for speed,” he smiles, adding, “As for the F1, so far I’ve been watching the races on TV, now I’ll get to watch the action live. It’s a proud moment for India… and a proud moment for me knowing that I’ll be a part of history.”

HT Image