When it comes to social media presence among law enforcement agencies in India, the Mumbai Police is a class apart. From the prompt resolution of queries to witty replies to staying up to date with viral trends for incorporation in their posts, the department is known for its strong social media game. Offering something unique as usual, the Mumbai Police recently shared a video of its band playing an evergreen Kishore Kumar classic: Mere sapnon ki rani.
In a video shared on the official Instagram and YouTube pages of the Mumbai Police on Monday, the band known as 'Khaki Studio' can be seen playing an instrumental cover of the iconic track from the Hindi movie Aradhana (1969). The post has garnered nearly 40,000 views in less than 24 hours.
"Khaki Studio is bringing a new presentation of Mumbai Police Jawans, S.D. An evergreen song from Burman and Kishore Kumar's treasure trove, 'Mere Sapnon Ki Rani'," the caption in Marathi translated to.
Recreating A Classic
In the 4 min 16 sec-long clip, the 31-member band can be seen giving the composition by legendary S.D Burman its own flavor. Staying on cue with its conductor, the band exhibits impeccable timing. What makes the rendition even more special—besides the talent on display—is the cutaways to the video of the original song.
As the band continues to play, the visuals of a charming Rajesh Khanna wooing a shy Sharmila Tagore as he follows—across a winding hilly road—the train in which she is traveling in, invoke nostalgia. The occasional insertion of the original footage only highlights the band's flawless coordination.
Wowing Mumbaikars and Social Media
With the Mumbai Police having its own loyal fan base on social media, the clip began gathering views, likes, and comments almost immediately. "Quite simply the best in India- Policing and everything else," read a comment. "Very nice, enjoyed it, amazing keep up the cheer guys. Much respect," expressed another user. Appreciating the performance, a user wrote: "What an amazing Performance by @mumbaipolice hatsoff to u all."
Some users even had requests and suggestions for the band's future acts. One user said: "Wow, great !! Now you should also do Marathi songs" Another comment stated, "Plz MUMBAI POLICE play GIREI theme from Naruto shippuden , As lots of weebs seen foreign performing and not and INDIAN BAND."
However, this is not the first time that the Khaki Studio has regaled Mumbaikars and social media with its music. It created a buzz last month after playing the Italian protest folk song, Bella Ciao, re-popularized by the Netflix series Money Heist. Last week, when the citizens of the city refrained from celebrating Navratri in large groups due to COVID-19, the band treated them to a medley of festive songs.
"An impromptu dedication to all the Mumbaikars who resisted the temptation to gather for garba this Navratri. Here's a quick medley by Mumbai Police's Khaki Studio for a quick celebration right at home!" the caption of the post read.
