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| Ta Ra Rum Pum | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Siddharth Anand |
| Written by | Habib Faisal |
| Story by | Siddharth Anand |
| Produced by | Aditya Chopra |
| Starring |
|
| Narrated by | Angelina Idnani |
| Cinematography | Binod Pradhan |
| Edited by |
|
| Music by |
|
| Distributed by | Yash Raj Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 153 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
| Budget | ₹28 crore[1] |
| Box office | ₹72 crore[1] |
Ta Ra Rum Pum is a 2007 Indian Hindi-languagesports drama film directed bySiddharth Anand and written byHabib Faisal. Produced byAditya Chopra under theYash Raj Films banner, the film starsSaif Ali Khan andRani Mukerji, alongside Angelina Idnani,Ali Haji, andJaaved Jaaferi in supporting roles. Set in theUnited States, the narrative follows Rajveer Singh, a professionalstock car racer whose career takes a downturn following an accident, and his journey of personal and professional redemption with the support of his wife Radhika and their two children.[2]
The film marked Anand’s second directorial collaboration with Khan afterSalaam Namaste (2005).Principal photography began in May 2006 and concluded in June, with filming taking place across locations such as theMilwaukee Mile inWisconsin,Rockingham Speedway inNorth Carolina, and on sets inMumbai. The music was composed byVishal–Shekhar, with lyrics byJaved Akhtar.
Ta Ra Rum Pum was released theatrically on 27 April 2007 and received mixed reviews from critics. While Khan and Mukerji’s performances, as well as the film’s production values and setting, were praised, its screenplay and pacing were met with criticism. The film emerged as a moderate commercial success, grossing ₹70 crore (US$8.3 million) worldwide, and ranked as thetenth highest-grossing Hindi film of the year.[3]
Rajveer "RV" Singh is a cheerful and ambitious race trackpit crew member inNew York City who dreams of becoming a professionalcar racer. His skills attract the attention of Harry, a racing team manager, after RV illegally speeds a taxi owned by Harry's team, Speeding Saddles. Impressed, Harry offers RV a contract as a professionalstock car racer.
RV quickly rises to prominence in the racing world and marries Radhika "Shona" Shekhar Rai Bannerjee, a pianist studying atColumbia University, despite her father’s disapproval due to RV's lack of formal education. Radhika eventually gives up her career to raise their two children, Priya "Princess" and Rajveer Jr. "Champ," while RV continues his racing career.
Eight years later, RV is hospitalized following a crash during a race caused by rival racer Rusty Finkelstein. Although he recovers physically and returns to racing after a year, the psychological trauma resulting from the impact affects his performance, leading to a string of poor finishes. Eventually, the team owner, Billy Bhatia, drops him from the team and replaces him with Rusty.
Unable to find stable employment, and after a failed attempt to form a new team, RV and his family face financial difficulties, resulting in theforeclosure of their home and the loss of most possessions. With limited resources, they move into a modest apartment on the city’s outskirts. To support their children's continued education, RV and Shona take on various odd jobs. Shona's father offers assistance, but she refuses after he insults RV.
RV briefly considers giving up their dog, Bruno, to reduce expenses, but ultimately keeps him after encouragement from Harry, who offers RV ataxi license. He encounters a passenger who asks for a speedy airport arrival; using it as a chance to test his racing skills, RV initially does well but falters after suffering flashbacks of his accident.
Meanwhile, Princess and Champ learn of the family's struggles and secretly begin saving their lunch money, leading to Champ becoming ill from eating discarded food. After a heated argument between RV and Shona over their circumstances, Champ collapses and is hospitalized. Doctors discover a piece of glass in his stomach, requiring expensive surgery. RV seeks financial help from Billy, who refuses, but Harry steps in with an offer to reenter racing by forming an independent team. RV accepts, and his cab driver friends form the new pit crew.
RV returns to the track, facing lingeringpost-traumatic stress, particularly while competing against Rusty. Drawing strength from his son's condition, he overcomes his fears and wins the race after a final confrontation with Rusty.
In the aftermath, RV resumes full-time racing, Shona restarts her music career, and the family returns to their former home. They occasionally visit their old neighborhood to remain connected to their past. The film ends with RV gifting Shona her original wedding ring.
Ta Ra Rum Pum was produced byAditya Chopra under the banner ofYash Raj Films and markedSiddharth Anand’s second directorial venture followingSalaam Namaste (2005). The film drew narrative inspiration from several American films, includingDays of Thunder (1990),Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006), andThe Pursuit of Happyness (2006), blending elements of motorsport drama with themes of family resilience and financial struggle.
Anand and screenwriterHabib Faisal aimed to create a family-oriented sports drama set against the backdrop of Americanstock car racing, with a focus on emotional themes and aspirational storytelling. The working title during pre-production wasTa Ra Rum Pum Pum.[4]
The film marked the second collaboration betweenSaif Ali Khan andRani Mukerji under Anand’s direction, followingSalaam Namaste. Khan was cast as Rajveer "RV" Singh, a spirited race car driver, while Mukerji played Radhika "Shona" Shekar Rai Banerjee, a pianist and RV’s eventual wife.[5] The child roles of Priya “Princess” and Rajveer Jr. “Champ” were portrayed by Angelina Idnani andAli Haji, respectively. According to reports, Haji was selected after three rounds of auditions, while Idnani was cast following four.[6]
Principal photography began on 4 May 2006 and concluded on 26 June 2006. The film was primarily shot in the United States, with additional scenes filmed at Yash Raj Studios inMumbai.[4] Racing sequences were filmed at theRockingham Speedway inNorth Carolina and theMilwaukee Mile inWisconsin. The production featured authentic stock cars and incorporated professional stunt coordination.[6]
Racing cars used in the film were provided by motorsport veteranAndy Hillenburg, who also trained stunt drivers and coordinated the racing scenes. Several drivers from theARCA Re/Max Series participated in the filming, and decals from the series can be seen on the cars. Hillenburg, who previously supplied cars forTalladega Nights, reportedly reused some vehicles with modified sponsorship decals.[7]
The film’s title song was an animated musical sequence featuring all main characters and four additional animated figures. This segment was developed byWalt Disney Studios as part of their three-film collaboration with Yash Raj Films.[8]
| Ta Ra Rum Pum | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by | ||||
| Released | 3 April 2007 | |||
| Genre | Feature film soundtrack | |||
| Length | 28:44 | |||
| Language | Hindi | |||
| Label | YRF Music | |||
| Producer | Vishal–Shekhar | |||
| Vishal–Shekhar chronology | ||||
| ||||
The film's soundtrack was composed by the duoVishal–Shekhar, with lyrics written byJaved Akhtar.[9] The album features seven tracks and was released on 3 April 2007 by YRF Music. According to the trade websiteBox Office India, the soundtrack sold approximately 1 million units, making it the fifteenth highest-selling Hindi film album of the year.Box Office India
| Song | Singer(s) |
|---|---|
| "Ab To Forever" | K.K.,Vishal Dadlani,Shreya Ghoshal |
| "Hey Shona" | Shaan,Sunidhi Chauhan |
| "Ta Ra Rum Pum" Ver. 1 | Shreya Ghoshal |
| "Nachle Ve" | Sonu Nigam,Sowmya Raoh |
| "Ta Ra Rum Pum" (Happy) | Shaan,Mahalakshmi Iyer,Sneha,Shravan |
| "Saiyaan Ve" | Vishal Dadlani |
| "Ta Ra Rum Pum" Ver. 2 | Shreya Ghoshal |
| Song | Singer(s) |
|---|---|
| "Ta Ra Rum Pum" (Happy) | Shaan,Mahalakshmi Iyer |
| "Hey Shona" | |
| "Chinduley" | Vedala Hemachandra,Gayatri Ganjawala |
| "Ta Ra Ra Ra Tara" (Female) | Shreya Ghoshal |
| "Natho Forever" | Shankar Mahadevan,Shreya Ghoshal,Vishal Dadlani |
| "Vinukora" | Vedala Hemachandra |
Ta Ra Rum Pum was theatrically released in India and several international markets on 27 April 2007, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Mexico, and the Netherlands.[8]
The film was subsequently released onDVD by Yash Raj Films on 1 September 2007.[10]
In 2017,Ta Ra Rum Pum became available for digital streaming onAmazon Prime Video.[11]
Ta Ra Rum Pum opened to strong collections in major metropolitan areas, particularly at multiplexes, though its performance at single-screen cinemas was comparatively moderate. The film collected ₹43.7 million in Mumbai during its opening week and grossed ₹114.3 million across India in the same period.[12][13][14] The release ofSpider-Man 3 in the following weeks led to a decline in overall collections; however, the film continued to perform steadily in regions like Mumbai and Delhi.[15]
In international markets, the film had a comparable start. It debuted at number nine on the United Kingdom box office chart, earning approximately £156,000 during its opening weekend.[16] In the United States, it grossed $425,102, while its opening in Australia brought in $90,000.[17] Although these numbers were considered respectable, they fell below expectations for a Yash Raj Films release.[18][19]
By its sixth week, the film had earned ₹377 million in India and was declared a hit by trade analysts.[20] Overseas,Ta Ra Rum Pum accumulated approximately $2 million, with the United Kingdom emerging as its strongest international market.[21]
Ta Ra Rum Pum received mixed-to-positive reviews from Indian critics, with particular praise directed at the performances, emotional themes, and production values, though criticism was aimed at the screenplay and predictability. OnRotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 50% based on eight reviews, with an average rating of 5.1/10.[22]
In India,Ta Ra Rum Pum received a range of reviews, with many critics praising the performances and emotional appeal.Taran Adarsh ofIndiaFM awarded the film 3.5 out of 5 stars, describing it as "a heartwarming story that touches an emotional chord." He particularly highlightedSaif Ali Khan's likability andRani Mukerji’s restrained yet effective performance, concluding that the film had "speed, sentiment, and soul."[23]India Today echoed similar sentiments, noting its “glossy packaging,” emotionally resonant themes, and star appeal, though also acknowledging the film’s heavy borrowing from Hollywood templates such asDays of Thunder (1990) andThe Pursuit of Happyness (2006).[24]
On the other hand, some Indian reviewers criticized the film’s predictability and emotional excess. Rajeev Masand of CNN-IBN criticized the film for its lack of originality, noting that the plot borrows heavily fromLife Is Beautiful (1997),In America (2002), andCinderella Man (2005).[25] Anand Vaishnav ofRediff.com commented that the film “races ahead in the first half” but loses momentum later, making its climax feel underwhelming.4[26]Filmibeat offered a mixed take, praising the soundtrack and visual execution, but noting that the “formulaic and stretched” story undermined its impact.[27] Jeevi ofIdlebrain.com called it a "decent one-time watch," particularly for family audiences, though he found little narrative novelty, especially in the second half.[28]
Internationally, the film received a similarly divided response. Rachel Saltz ofThe New York Times described it as “a sentimental journey powered by formula and emotion.” She acknowledged the film’s sincerity but felt its structure lacked surprises and leaned too heavily on melodrama.[29] Jaspreet Pandohar of theBBC rated the film 2 out of 5 stars, stating that while Khan delivered a spirited performance, the story was weighed down by clichés and an overuse of sentimentality.[30] Nell Minow ofCommon Sense Media offered a more favorable view, awarding it 3 out of 5 stars and highlighting its uplifting messages about perseverance and family, though cautioning viewers about themes of financial hardship and medical stress.[31]
| Award | Date of ceremony[a] | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen Awards | 10 January 2008 | Best Child Artist | Ali Haji | Nominated | [32][33] |
| Angelina Idnani | Nominated | ||||
| Producers Guild Film Awards[b] | 30 March 2008 | Best Cinematography | Binod Pradhan | Nominated | [34][35] |
| Best Special Effects | Tata Elxsi - VCL | Nominated | |||
| Sabsey Favourite Kaun Awards | 23 December 2008 | Sabsey Favourite Heroine | Rani Mukerji | Won | [36] |
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