Bhubaneswar, Jan. 2: A group of Odia film technicians have recreated the bhajan, Aahe neela saila, into a music video, and it is getting a lot of appreciation on social networking sites.

The technicians, including director Biren Jyoti Mohanty who has worked for Hindi films such as Luck and Jodi Breakers, are working in Mumbai.

Within a week of its release, the video has been watched over 10,000 times on YouTube and shared by hundreds of Facebook users. The video was created to promote the culture of the state.

Salabeg, a Muslim devotee of Lord Jagannath, had penned the original song. "Apart from having a spiritual substance, the song is very important as it sends the message across that religion has no place in godly devotion," Mohanty said.

The video has been shot at Bingharpur on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar. It portrays a story and also showcases traditional Odissi and chhau dance forms.

"This song is one of the most popular devotional numbers, and every Odia has heard it on many occasions. We wanted to present it in a different manner," Mohanty said.

Mumbai-based singer Krishna Beura, known for his Sufi renditions in many Bollywood songs, has sung the bhajan in the video. He also plays the central character in it.

Beura plays the role of a Brahmin, who discovers a Jagannath idol lying abandoned. The choreography goes along with the story.

Odissi dancer Pallavi Das has choreographed the dance sequences. "Initially, I was very reluctant about the music video. I had performed Odissi on the song a number of times on stage. But, portraying the cult song with modern twists was risky," she said.

Composer Suraj Purohit has recreated the song with contemporary beats keeping the traditional tunes intact.