Amitabh Bachchan released the new version of the patriotic song "Mile sur mera tumhara" here on the eve of Republic Day. It is now titled "Phir Mile Sur" and Bollywood megastar was excited about the fact that he is the only one who has been repeated in it.

"People from film industry along with so many other individuals have given their voices to make this wonderful song of India. I am the only person in the song who has a repeat value, " Bachchan told reporters at the Hotel Taj Lands End.

"I am very, very thankful that they have considered me to have the opportunity to stand along with my son and daughter-in- law to make it a very historic piece of music, " he added.

"Mile sur mera tumhara" was conceptualized and conceived by late Suresh Mallick and it was first aired on Doordarshan on Aug 15, 1988, and after 22 years Arti and Kailash Surendranath have recreated and presented it as "Phir mile sur".

From vocalists Bhimsen Joshi and Balamurali Krishna to sitar maestro Ravi Shankar, tabla maestros Allah Rakha and Zakir Hussain to sportsmen Narendra Hirwani and Prakash Padukone featured in the original. Well-known film personalities like Amitabh, Lata Mangeshkar, Mithun Chakraborty, Jeetendra, Hema Malini, Shabana Azmi, Javed Akhtar, Kamal Haasan, Sharmila Tagore, Tanuja and Waheeda Rehman too appeared in the national integration song.

"I have always felt that Indian cinema has bonded people irrespective of cast, creed or religion. When we buy a ticket in cinema hall we never see whether the person sitting beside me is a Hindu or a Muslim or a Sikh. We all enjoy the same film. We all laugh at the same jokes, we sing the same song, we cry at same emotion, " he added.

More than 60 known personalities, including actors Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, Ranbir Kapoor, Shahid Kapoor, Salman Khan, Shilpa Shetty and Juhi Chawla along with other prominent personalities feature in the new version of the song.

It features 22 superstars, 18 musicians, 13 artistes and singers and 15 other known personalities.

"Phir mile sur" will be initially aired on Zoom Tuesday.