The Limit of a Tale

I have never really written the reviews of songs, movies, or books. I’m more of an extensive reader and listener than an intensive one. Recently though, I’ve been listening more to the music of my homeland, particularly Coke Studio Pakistan.

They say arts and music have no boundaries, and I used to believe that wholeheartedly. Not anymore - and that makes me really, really sad. Why so? Because bollywood music is now out of the equation for me. Call me whatever you want, but when they want us erased from the map, I don’t see why I should keep celebrating them either. Their media, the fringe, the most influential artists want us blocked, they have already done so, and they continue to spew hatred, so why should I, or we, bother?

So yeah, no more watching or listening to their content. Although we haven't blocked any of their content here. I specifically mentioned Bollywood music because, for me personally, it once offered a certain variety. Even though their official language is Hindi, their songs are often in Urdu. The elegance of Urdu, its subtle highs and lows, the choice of words, the romanticism, the style of expression — it’s the perfect recipe for poetry. How can I even begin to praise my beloved language? (That's a lengthy discussion.)

And then there’s my mother tongue, Punjabi. It has its own unique beauty. Since I understand it so well, its songs strike directly at my heart.

Sorry for the long, long detour.

I am talking about a song here. This isn’t exactly a review, more like a reaction to a particular song. I just want to share a glimpse of our contemporary soundscape: the Coke Studio track Turri Jandi.

How far will your ears endure, and how far can ~my~ this song’s tale unfold? Hihi!

It's like... When music decides to bend time, culture, and even gravity, you get something like Turri Jandi in Punjabi, from Coke Studio Pakistan!!!

The song opens with a mix that instantly pulls you in. Something robotic... From the very first beat, it feels fresh, futuristic yet rooted. This isn’t just music; it’s art. Colours, innovation, bold camera angles, and yet the core, the singing, remains pure. Proof that boundaries can still be pushed without losing authenticity.

Then comes the pairing no one saw coming. On paper it sounds like a clash, but in reality it is a revelation. The surprise is Shazia Manzoor, the powerhouse voice of the 90s, alongside Hasan Raheem, my daughter’s current favorite, and I must thank him for making songs in Urdu. A Gen Z star known for his indie pop and R&B vibe, Hasan seems worlds apart from Shazia. Two completely different textures, two generations apart, yet together they weave something magical. Shazia glides effortlessly from folk nostalgia into futuristic beats, proving she belongs to every era. Hasan, on the other hand, astonishes listeners with his unexpected range, notes many never thought he had in him. A pairing no one anticipated, but one we now cannot imagine apart.

The staging adds to the spell: half nostalgic Karachi vibe, half sci-fi dreamscape. The colors, the outfits, the set: it’s like watching a music video from a parallel universe where folk songs sit comfortably beside synth beats. Someone even commented it deserves to be preserved in a museum for future generations, and honestly, I agree.

The journey the song takes you on is wild. One moment you’re at a Punjabi wedding, nodding to the dholak, the next you’re drifting into a futuristic groove that feels otherworldly. The shifts come without warning, yet they never break the flow; they keep you hooked.

People have called it “unreal,” “out of this world,” even “life-changing.” And I get it. Turri Jandi isn’t chasing trends, nor is it simply about nostalgia. It’s bold, proud of its roots, and daring in ways that pay off beautifully.

In short: Turri Jandi is twisted, contemporary, timeless. Futuristic and vintage all at once, audacious yet refined. It’s not something you simply listen to; it’s something you live through. A statement more than a song.

Coke Studio has done many experiments over the years, but this one feels like a chapter of its own.

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Ah, it felt good jotting it down on paper. You know how it is when you come across something you really like, you just feel like explaining it to the whole world, telling everyone what makes it so special... Listen to this, watch this! So, if I’ve managed to capture even a little of that, then do give this track a listen. I hope you’ll like it. And if not, that’s okay too... at least I’ve fulfilled my part. :)

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Before Turri Jandi, we might have thought Coke Studio Pakistan was only a self-limited and self-contained bubble that could not reach the rest of the Pakistani music industry, let alone our sense of collective selves: think again. Turri Jandi can consciously infect our collective consciousness with a diffuse sense of “shared self” by making our dreams real.

Shazia Manzoor takes Hasan Raheem to a place where time is no longer linear: into a collective mind that we see. This is where she is connecting him with his past by mainlining the very essence of all things Pakistani pop from time immemorial.

Beyond the exploration of the metaphysical planes of our existence, this song has dovetailed the divine message of spirituality.

_{sr: Safieh S}

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And I haven’t even talked about the lyrics yet… I’m sharing the original (Roman) version and the English translation below. You can decide for yourself.”

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Turri Jandi lyrics (original in roman)
_{Turri jandi turri jandi ae
Jiwen sab jandi gadiyaan phaland di
Gaddi vekho kithe kithe jandi ae
Dil nu behlan layi khushiyan kaman layi}

_{Aaina (haan) kisi aur ko dikha bhai
Jeene de haan sahi woh meherban bhai
Dekhe woh dil ki sachi raah sahi
Sachi raah sahi}

_{Main baatein kyu banaun?
Lamhay nirale kyu ganwaun?
Haste hansate nikhra aun
Dil se jo aaya keh jaun}

_{Yeh naav aise doobe nahi
Yeh baatein sab ki dar pe thehraoun
Man ko halki si bhi fikar nahi
O mere bhai kaise yeh?}

_{Turri jandi turri jandi ae
Jiwen sab jandi gadiyaan phaland di
Gaddi vekho kithe kithe jandi ae
Dil nu behlan lai khushiyan kaman lai}

_{Heeriyan ve
Oh kadi rakhya hisaab nahi
Apna mizaaj nahi}

_{Puchhya main
Dil nahiyon mangda jawaab koi
Dil ki kya baat bhai}

_{O hun aaram nahi
Lokaan ton kaam nahi
Vekhaan vakhre ae lashkare
Main taan haar gayi}

_{Koi samaan nahi
Duniya da bhaar nahi
Challi aan main jitthe karda dil
Main laang gayi}

_{Turri jandi turri jandi ae
Yaadaan da samaan layi
Jaane kithe jaan layi}

_{O jadoon galle pendi palle pendi ae
Phir vi sawaal jayi
Kinni ae kamaal jayi
Jiwen sab jandi gadiyaan phaland di}

_{Dil waaliyan ne pichhe mud vekhna vi ae
Kithon chali si kahaani kithe tur chali ae}

_{Kithe khula aasmaan kithe band gali ae
Gaddi mud chali ae ni gaddi mur chali ae}

_{Turri jandi turri jandi ae
Yaadaan da samaan layi
Jaane kithe jaan layi}

_{O jadoon galle pendi palle pendi ae
Phir vi sawaal jayi
Kinni ae kamaal jayi}

_{O gaddi vekho kithe kithe jandi ae
Dil nu behlan layi
Khushiyan kaman layi}

_{Dil nu behlan layi
Khushiyan kaman layi
Dil nu behlan layi
Khushiyan kaman layi}

_{Jhoom ke chali
Sohne yaar di gali
Jhoom ke chali
Sohne yaar di gali}

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Translation in English:

_{Passing by, life keeps passing
As if it knows everything, skipping through time
Let’s see where this ride goes
To soothe the heart, to gather happiness}

_{Yeah, show that mirror to someone else, brother
Let me live my life—he is merciful, brother
And he sees the true path of the heart
The truest path of all}

_{Why should I make things up?
Why waste these precious moments?
Laughing and smiling, I radiate
And say whatever my heart feels}

_{This boat won’t sink so easily
I’ll let these words rest at every doorstep
My heart holds not even the slightest worry
Oh brother, how could it?}

_{Passing by, she keeps on moving
Like trains running on endless tracks
See where this journey takes her
To comfort the heart, to gather joys}

_{Oh sweetheart, she never kept an account
That’s not her nature
I asked—does the heart want any answer?
What’s the matter with the heart, brother?}

_{Now there is no rest
No ties to people
I see wondrous legions pass me by
But I—I have surrendered}

_{No baggage weighs me down
No burden of the world on my shoulders
I go wherever the heart leads me
And I cross over, free}

_{Passing by, she goes—carrying memories with her
Wonder where she’s headed?}

_{When it catches up, it really sticks
But still remains a question
How wondrous!}

_{Those with heart will look back, too
Where did this story begin
And where is it going now?}

_{Where’s the open sky
Where’s the closed alley?
This ride has taken a new turn}

_{Swaying along
She walks through the street of the beloved}