Tunak Tunak Tun

Multiple images of Daler Mehndi performing the distinctive dance move

"Tunak Tunak Tun" (Punjabi: ਤੁਣਕ ਤੁਣਕ ਤੁਣ) or simply "Tunak", is a bhangra/pop love song by Indian artist Daler Mehndi released in 1998. At the time, critics complained that Mehndi's music was only popular due to his videos that featured beautiful women dancing.^[1] Mehndi's response was to create a video that featured only himself. The music video was the first made in India using greenscreen technology,^[1] which allowed the singer to superimpose his image over various computer-generated backgrounds such as desert and mountain landscapes and St. Basil's Cathedral.

The video follows a simple plot about four men, all played by Mehndi, who all represent the four elements and dress in lavish Indian clothing; the earth Mehndi wears pink/maroon, the fire Mehndi wears orange, the wind Mehndi wears brown, and the water Mehndi wears green. The men start off as comets made of water, dirt, air, and fire and transform into clothed human men and each of the men take turns singing, dancing, and pointing at each other like they are discussing something. The men are later revealed to have been planning to fuse with one another and become one man, and they do so by first reverting back into their comet state and then merge together to form Daler Mehndi who is predominantly wearing yellow and green. The video ends at this point.

The song and video was a success in India. It later became an international Internet meme.^{[2] [3]}

Chart performance

References