Saraiki folk song Chalre Chalre Waal goes viral with 50 million views and listeners can't stop comparing it to Bollywood classic ‘Na Kajre Ki Dhar’

As the folk version spread across social media, many began noticing similarities between the song and ‘Na Kajre Ki Dhar’, the 1994 song from Rajiv Rai’s Mohra.

A Pakistani folk song is suddenly finding a new audience online. Singer Shanzy Sibal’s acoustic rendition of ‘Chalre Chalre Waal’ has gone viral on Instagram, crossing 50 million views and garnering more than 6.5 million likes. The renewed interest has also brought the traditional Saraiki song to listeners who may never have heard it before. For Indian listeners, however, the song has another point of familiarity. As Shanzy's version spread across social media, many began noticing similarities between its melody and ‘Na Kajre Ki Dhar’, the beloved 1994 song from Rajiv Rai’s Mohra.

The folk song passed down through generations

A Pakistani folk song is suddenly finding a new audience online. Singer Shanzy Sibal’s acoustic rendition of ‘Chalre Chalre Waal’ has gone viral on Instagram, crossing 50 million views and garnering more than 6.5 million likes.

‘Chalre Chalre Waal’, also known in some versions as ‘Tediyan Reesan Kon Kare’, is a traditional Saraiki folk song associated with the Punjab region of Pakistan. It has been performed by several folk singers over the years, with Muhammad Hussain Bandialvi widely associated with the song. The late Shafaullah Khan Rokhri also played a role in popularising it with a wider audience.

Like many traditional folk songs, it has travelled through different voices and interpretations rather than belonging to one definitive modern recording. Its melody has continued to live on through successive generations, with singers adapting it to their own styles.

Sunanda Sharma adds her own rendition

Why are listeners comparing it with Na Kajre Ki Dhar?

The comparison with ‘Na Kajre Ki Dhar’ comes down to the melody. The 1994 song from Mohra was sung by Pankaj Udhas and Sadhana Sargam, with music by Viju Shah and lyrics by Anand Bakshi.

For listeners familiar with the Bollywood classic, certain melodic phrases and the way the tune moves through its lines can immediately sound familiar when placed alongside ‘Chalre Chalre Waal’. That said, there are no established interpolation or credits linking the traditional Saraiki song to ‘Na Kajre Ki Dhar’.

The story behind Na Kajre Ki Dhar

Interestingly, ‘Na Kajre Ki Dhar’ itself has a history that goes back much further than its 1994 release. The melody was originally composed by Kalyanji-Anandji, with lyrics by Indeevar, and was recorded in Mukesh’s voice in the 1970s. The film for which it was intended was eventually shelved or the song was dropped, leaving the recording unreleased.

Nearly two decades later, Kalyanji’s son Viju Shah was working on the music for Mohra when he revisited the old composition. The film was packed with high-energy songs such as ‘Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast’ and ‘Tip Tip Barsa Paani’, but the soundtrack also needed a softer romantic number for Suniel Shetty and Poonam Jhawer’s sequence.

With Mukesh's death in 1976, the song was recorded anew by Pankaj Udhas and Sadhana Sargam. Viju Shah retained the core melody but gave it a distinctly 1990s treatment, using synthesizers, acoustic guitar and a stronger rhythmic arrangement. The result became one of the film’s most enduring romantic songs.