Archive · 11 Oct 2026
Saraiki Folk Song Goes Viral Across India and Pakistan
An old Saraiki folk song called “Chhalray Chhalray Waal” has become popular again online.
People in Pakistan and India have been sharing their own versions.
Shanzy Sial’s performance received tens of millions of views on Instagram.
Indian singer Sunanda Sharma also sang it, and many people appreciated her version.
The song describes a woman admiring a man’s appearance.
Its exact beginnings are hard to pin down, though Shafaullah Khan Rokhri was said to have sung it first.
Some listeners think its tune sounds like a Bollywood song, but the article does not say they are connected.
Poet Atif Touqeer says the song shows how music can express cultural ties across borders.
“Chhalray Chhalray Waal,” a Saraiki folk song associated with Pakistan’s Mianwali region, has gained renewed attention on social media.
Pakistani singer and influencer Shanzy Sial’s acoustic rendition drew about 50 million views and eight million likes on Instagram.
Indian Punjabi singer Sunanda Sharma and other performers, including Uttar Pradesh Police sub-inspector Nishant Mishra, also shared renditions.
The song is an older piece of Saraiki folk music; Shafaullah Khan Rokhri was identified as its first singer, though its precise origins remain unclear.
Listeners have debated whether its melody resembles “Na Kajre Ki Dhar” from the 1994 film Mohra; the article reports the comparison but does not establish a connection.
- Who
- Singers and other performers in Pakistan and India, including Shanzy Sial, Sunanda Sharma and Nishant Mishra.
- What
- The Saraiki folk song “Chhalray Chhalray Waal” has had a viral revival online.
- When
- Recently; the song is described as originating in the 1980s.
- Where
- Across social media in India and Pakistan; the song is associated with Mianwali, Pakistan.
- Why
- Performers have shared new renditions, attracting audiences and renewed interest in the song and its cultural connections.
Listeners noting musical resemblance
No confirmed connection stated
Possible similarity to a Bollywood melody
Listeners noting musical resemblance
Some listeners have said the song’s melody resembles “Na Kajre Ki Dhar” from Mohra.
No confirmed connection stated
The article reports the comparison as an online debate but does not establish that the songs are connected.
- Song
- “Chhalray Chhalray Waal”
- Language
- Saraiki
- Region associated with song
- Mianwali, Pakistan
- Viral rendition
- Shanzy Sial’s acoustic performance
- Instagram response
- Around 50 million views and eight million likes
- Indian performers mentioned
- Sunanda Sharma and Nishant Mishra
- Melody comparison debated online
- “Na Kajre Ki Dhar,” from the 1994 film Mohra