What does a theme song created by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Kerala, for the 2019 general elections have to do with Rabindranath Tagore and the 1989 blockbuster Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha?
Tagore, apparently, was the inspiration for the opening lines of the theme song sung by K.S. Chitra. But it was the Mammooty-starrer that decided for CEO Teeka Ram Meena as to who should pen the lyrics.
The story behind Bharatha Bhagyavidhathakkal Naam, Election Song: 2019, was recounted by Mr. Meena and lyricist and former Chief Secretary K. Jayakumar, at the CD launch here on Wednesday.
A challenge
Writing the election theme song was indeed a challenge, said Mr. Jayakumar, who now heads the Institute of Management in Government (IMG). “I’ve been writing songs for 30 years, but an election song was a first for me. The lines of the national anthem came to mind when I was trying to decide what to write. So I was like the mahout riding atop an elephant,” he said.
To understand the connection with Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha, you have go down the memory lane with Mr. Meena who was posted to Kerala in the late 1980s. Watching the movie back then, he had fallen in love with the song ‘Chandanalepa Sugandham...’
“Mr Jayakumar had written the song. So when we decided to bring out a theme song for the 2019 elections, I didn't have to think twice,” Mr. Meena said.
Governor P. Sathasivam released the CD by handing over a copy to Tiffany Brar, founder of Jyothirgamaya Foundation. Music composer Mathew T. Itty, Joint CEO Jeevan Babu and Additional CEO Surendran Pillai B. were present.