Emon Chowdhury on how he bet on ‘Baaji’
After a long hiatus, Coke Studio Bangla has finally returned, and it couldn't have chosen a more fitting comeback than "Baaji". The release not only marks the revival of the popular platform but also reunites fans with the magical duo of Hashim Mahmud and Emon Chowdhury.
Penned and originally performed by Mahmud, "Baaji" finds new life through Chowdhury's arrangement, molding it into a fresh, soulful texture.
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"My long-time dream was to create a song where the whole of Bangladesh could be seen together, with people from the hills, plains, sea, and riverbanks singing and playing in unison. In our small country, there is so much diversity that it is almost impossible to bring everyone together in one place, yet I tried to weave everyone into a single thread," shared Emon.
"Baaji" speaks of journeys and quietly mirrors the beauty of Bangladesh. "It's a story about love," Emon explained. "We had this plan since "Kotha Koiyo Na". With this song, we wanted to create a sequence of moods with 'Baaji'."
Sometimes, passion finds its own way forward. "When you wholeheartedly want to create something beautiful, God somehow connects you to it," Emon reflected. After 'Kotha Koiyo Na', his father shared a video with him of a Dhua Gaan troupe performing. "It was unlike anything I had ever seen—a group singing while dancing, moving from place to place with their traditional instruments. Later, I discovered that their team has been performing for more than a hundred years, passing the songs down through generations. It was astonishing that we knew so little about them."
Later, inspiration struck again when Emon's wife, who attended a performance, witnessed a Manipuri troupe dancing to the beat of the dhol. She told him about them, and when Emon saw them he couldn't believe that they were from Bangladesh. They were a dance troupe in Sreemangal who practiced the sacred art of the Pung Cholom dance form. "I was fascinated to see them dance with such beauty and power while playing the dhol," he recalled. Their art form, deeply religious, involves praising their deity through music and dance. "When we played the song for them, we asked if they could play without going against their rituals. They agreed, and what they brought us was extraordinary."
The journey didn't stop there. Emon and his team realised the song also needed the vibrant traditions of the Bawm community and other indigenous groups. A full troupe travelled from Bandarban to Dhaka, bringing bamboo-stick rhythms and humming parts that added another defining layer to the track. "Most of them were from the Bawm tribe, and their energy added something very raw and authentic," Emon said. Hashim Mahmud later joined them in the studio, and together with the musicians, they elevated the song further. Still, Emon felt something was missing.
That "X-factor," as he described it, came through a suggestion by Arnob. He introduced Emon to Mrakoi Ching Marma, fondly called "nani"—she was known for singing the Marma puthi. Her grandson, Kyoprou Marma, a flutist in Coke Studio Bangla, helped connect them. "I really requested them to bring her to Dhaka. She had never been here before. We even planned to send someone from our team to pick her up, but the shoot was just two days away. Despite that, she was determined. She wanted the whole world to hear the words of her tribe," Emon recalled.
With the help of her daughter, Kyoprou's mother, who also had never been to Dhaka, they travelled from Bandarban and finally made it. When Mrakoi Ching Marma sang her part in the studio, Emon felt that the song had finally found its soul. "It felt like 'Baaji' was complete."
"Baaji" marks the third time he collaborated with Hashim Mahmud. "From the very beginning, I wanted Hashim bhai to be present with us on set. Even if just in a cameo, I wanted him to be part of the song. Our team wanted to honour him, to give him a tribute. It was a challenge, but he embraced it beautifully in the music video. This song is a tribute to Hashim bhai for gifting us such timeless songs."
On using his mellifluous voice, he said, " 'Coke Studio' and Arnob bhai were adamant that I should take it on as lead singer. 'Coke Studio Bangla' always tries to represent a generation, and Arnob bhai felt it should be me and Hashim bhai singing together. Honestly, I had other plans. I wanted other artists to sing it. However, he insisted, and in the end, I did it. To be honest, I enjoy playing instruments and composing far more than singing."
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