Shafaullah Khan Rokhri’s ‘Chalray Chalray Wal’ enjoys fresh fame years after release

• The Saraiki song is attracting renewed attention through social media reels and fresh renditions.
• Its growing popularity is introducing new listeners to Shafaullah Khan Rokhri’s recording.
• The trend has also reached India, where listeners and singers are sharing their own versions.

“Chalray Chalray Wal,” the Saraiki folk song associated with late Pakistani singer Shafaullah Khan Rokhri, is enjoying a fresh wave of popularity years after his recording was released. Reels and new performances have brought the song back into the spotlight, introducing it to listeners discovering it for the first time.

Rokhri’s recording is listed as having been released in March 2017, making its renewed popularity more than nine years later. The latest attention has brought his rendition back into discussion alongside newer versions circulating online.

An acoustic performance by Shanzy Sial has helped fuel the recent interest, spreading widely on Instagram. The song’s memorable refrain and gentle melody have become familiar to audiences through short clips and reels shared across social media.

Although many younger listeners are discovering it through the current trend, “Chalray Chalray Wal” has a longer history in Saraiki folk music. Muhammad Hussain Bandialvi and Shafaullah Khan Rokhri are among the singers associated with its earlier performances.

The song’s renewed appeal has also extended to neighbouring India, where listeners are sharing the track and creating reels. Punjabi singer Sunanda Sharma has shared her own rendition, introducing the folk favourite to more audiences across the border.

Rokhri’s son, Zeeshan Khan Rokhri, has also presented a version as a tribute to his late father, adding another rendition for audiences revisiting the song.