Babar Mangi's 'Sanam Sopari echoes the laments of women in love

Express Tribune

6 days ago

Released on July 10, Sanam Sopari by Babar Mangi has quickly climbed from 25th to 14th place on YouTube's trending music chart, clocking over 154,000 views. Featuring female vocals by Sahiban and backing vocals from Amjad Mirani and Waseem Khan, the single was produced by Mangi and Muhammad Masood and composed collaboratively by Mangi, Sahiban, and Mirani.
Blending Sindhi folk poetry with rap and electronic beats, the track occupies a space that's both nostalgic and fresh. Its production — reminiscent of Coke Studio's layered instrumentation — draws you in with its bouncing rhythm and lyrical depth. Flute and string instrument interludes soften the pace just enough before plunging back into a thumping beat, giving the song a rhythmic swing that's hard to resist.
It presents itself as a wedding song due to its dance-worthy rhythms and heavy female voice. It is lighthearted and relatable and would add humour to any happy occasion. It hints towards what love and longing will be like for the bride in the foreseeable future and how her feelings are universal.
Mangi's thick Sindhi accent finds a perfect counterpoint in Sahiban's sharp, high-pitched chorus. The beat is intentionally repetitive, but acoustic flourishes — string instruments, flute, hand drums — keep the energy fresh. There's a hint of auto-tune, particularly in the rap segments, but it works in the song's favour, enhancing its hybrid pop-folk aesthetic.
The heart of Sanam Sopari lies in its emotional storytelling. The lyrics unfold as a dialogue between a woman and her evasive partner. 'I don't want much from you. I just want peace, I'm no gold digger,' she pleads, voicing frustration over the emotional labour she invests in a one-sided relationship. She yearns for Sanam Sopari — a symbolic reference to the betel nuts traditionally distributed at a nikkah.
As Mangi puts it, the song is 'a tribute to the unheard emotions of a woman.' And true to this, the male voice listens without interrupting for much of the song, surfacing only to offer quiet reassurance: 'No idea whether your father will agree or not,' he confesses. Finally, in the music video's closing moments, he hands her the long-awaited sopari, a gesture that lands with the weight of long-overdue commitment.
Sindhi heritage comes through vividly in both the song's poetry and its visuals. From the traditional women's gatherings at weddings to the lyrical cadence of folk poetry reimagined through rap, the track paints an intimate picture of Sindhi cultural expression. In the YouTube comments, Mangi urges his listeners: 'Own this culture. Be thinkers. Everything is possible... We are one of the richest communities going back to Indus Valley civilisation.'
Shot in the village of Badin, the music video stars Mangi and Isra. Directed by Imran Baloch and produced by Jahangir Memon, the video captures the rhythm of rural Sindh; festive, bustling, and emotionally vivid. Isra's expressive lip-syncing and Mangi's high-spirited dance sequences unravel against the backdrop of everyday village life: domestic chores, tending to animals and taking walks on farmlands.
Sanam Sopari is a catchy track that resonates with both traditional and contemporary listeners. If you hear it in public, it might make you want to stand up and dance to its rhythm.
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