In addition to topping pop music charts, Punjabi tracks also enliven weddings and celebrations in many parts of India. One such popular Punjabi folk song, ‘Chitta Kukkad’, has been beautifully merged with lo-fi music and contemporary beats to create what the makers are calling ‘the new wedding anthem’.

Created by Akansha Bandari and Sez on the Beat, the new song ‘Ranjhana’ features actor Sanket Mehta, and is released by Velvet Vibes. Made keeping in mind the millennial bride, and the feeling of her big-day, the song has a fresh sound owing to Akanksha’s honeyed vocals and Sez on the Beat’s contemporary music production.

Since “marriages are now one of the few occasions where family and friends of all ages gather” and partake in a shared culture, the makers tell IANSlife that using traditional songs fused with modern sounds helps different generations in having fun together while safeguarding our Indian culture.

Adds Miket Kanakia, Velvet Vibes, “When I heard the song ‘Ranjhana’, it really clicked my mind as the lyrics of the song are beautiful and can be connected to our today’s cool and coy brides. We have tried to give a fresh modern touch to this song with traditional wedding music to make it the perfect wedding anthem for our millennials.”

“I have always loved folk music and Chitta Kukkad is one of my most favourite punjabi wedding folk songs. So, I’m really happy and excited that I got the chance to give it a new flavour and recreate it by adding my own lyrics and melody,” says singer Akansha Bhandari.

When asked about the song, Sez on the Beat says, “Making Ranjhana with Akanksha has been such a fun experience because we got to merge Lo-fi and Folk Music in this project and the result was super wavy. Glad to see more labels like Velvet Vibes pushing this kind of experimental-pop sound in the scene. It’s a breath of fresh air.”

“I’ve literally grown up listening to folk music in Punjab especially to Chitta Kukkad during family weddings and to be able to be a part of a more contemporary version of this iconic song really thrills me. This soul-stirring recreation of the song is fresh to the ears and it will surely have you singing along in no time,” actor Sanket Mehta shares.