Did Coke Studio really do the impossible? Come up with a wedding song that is not Bollywood, not some pop remixed version of “Kala Doriya” or “Aya Lariye”, not a desi cliche and yet not off-puttingly western? Well, yes. “Maghron La” is our very own version of ‘Let It Go’ (sorry “Frozen”) and dropped on Sunday (ofcourse) to much anticipation.
What’s more? The “Maghron La” features artists who were already somewhere on our radar without having made a dent on it. The female vocalists are Sabri Sisters who hail from the famed Sabri family, with its very distinguished musical legacy. Saman and Anamta Sabri are gifted with a sufi depth in their voices that shines in “Maghron La” even though the song is far away from the ghazal-sufi space. But the spice in this wedding feast is definitely the rapper Rizzy Rozeo (Shahroz Amjad) who hit it big last year when he collaborated with Atif Aslam for Velo Sound Station.
What’s interesting is that “Maghron La” becomes a sort of personal anthem for Sabri sisters whose musical lineage was questioned by some in the mainstream media effectively snubbing them of their unquestionable artistic identity. Their verses talk of a woman who is celebrating her big day having brushed off all the worries; ignoring all her defamers, she enjoys being decked in all the wedding finery, stuffing herself with sweets and positive energy, she marches on towards her next destination. It is the bride in “Maghron La” and the Sabri Sisters in the real world, having a showdown with the society.
Rozeo is the resident wedding crasher we all need. He brings in the requisite aplomb, the punjabi twang, the quirky marital lyricism and the kind of male praise every girl longs to get at a wedding. He adds a cheeky bachelorhood to a wedding song where the bride in question is giving the middle-finger-in-the-air vibe. Now that is the Coke Studio twist we love.
Rozeo’s bit and a small dance sequence in the song is choreographed by Nasir from the world famous dance group, Quickstyle, giving the verses a much needed vocal movement. Words dance in “Maghron La”, and so does everyone listening to it.
Video director Murtaza Niaz perfectly captures the snippets of a typical South Asian family gathering. Small rooms all open into a courtyard, each space buzzing with activity. The chaos has a rhythm, the walls have ears, guests pour in and mill around, the women trade gossip, the elders get nostalgic, and uncles spill one anecdote after another. Rants and colors jostle for space.
But Coke Studio retains its stamp on all crowded frames. It gives us a wedding song that celebrates a woman’s liberation, acceptance, the power of coming together and having pointless conversations with bhangra cues in the background. What’s not to love about it?
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