MUMBAI: Composer A.R. Rahman, who collaborated with Bharatbala on the iconic song, Vande Mataram, has launched Thaalam for the filmmaker. It has been supported by Kerala's superstar Dulquer Salmaan.

Presented by Rahman, Thaalam is about rhythm. Over 100 everyday men, from all walks of life, came together to row the 80-year-old boats. 

Speaking about the same, Rahman said, "At the boat races of Kerala, not one man is a professional athlete, in-fact, they are like you and me, fishermen, farmers, postmen, shopkeepers, school teachers. To row as one, they need more than just speed and talent. They need to find the Thaalam. What is Thaalam? It is a foundation of music, a message for all, a heartbeat, a rhythm. Imagine India on a boat.”

"The boat is only as strong as the people in it. The power to win is not in any one person, but when all of us come together as one, one effort and one goal. To move forward as a nation is to dream, aspire together and to build together. Let us find our Thaalam, as a nation together," he added.

Bharatbala's Virtual Bharat is a vision for contemporary India in the form of 1000 short films. The first film, Thaalam better known as the Kerala boat race, released on Wednesday on YouTube.