Badshah calls his Marathi debut Chimna a love letter to Maharashtra

Rapper Badshah has ventured into Marathi music with his first-ever Marathi hip-hop track, Chimna, further calling it as as his ode to the state of Maharashtra.

Badshah calls Marathi debut Chimna a love letter to Maharashtra

The song which blends traditional folk elements with contemporary hip-hop, celebrates Maharashtra’s culture and community while bringing together traditional Marathi folk textures and Badshah’s signature commercial sound.

Talking about the song, Badshah said, “India’s regional music is a goldmine and I want to celebrate every corner of it. Chimna is my love letter to Maharashtra’s rich creative canvas. I am incredibly grateful for how this project turned out, and this one’s dedicated to all my day one Maharashtrian fans!”

The accompanying music video has been shot entirely in Kolhapur and captures different aspects of everyday life in Maharashtra, including wedding processions, daily wage workers and mud wrestlers training at a traditional akhada. Marathi actress Neha Khan also features in the video.

For his Marathi debut, Badshah has collaborated with Bollywood playback singer Divya Kumar and Marathi folk artist Nagesh Morwekar. The track has been produced by Hiten.

Chimna opens with the traditional folk lines, “ek chimna chiv chivla / majha sajan jaga zhala ho / surya ugavla” (A sparrow chirped, my beloved woke up, the sun has risen), before transitioning into hip-hop verses.

The rapper also brings a local flavour to the song with lines such as “dance kar rahi dekho maushi maushi / nacho jab tak subah chidiya bole”. The track culminates with Badshah saying, “tumcha mulga badshah” (Your boy Badshah).

With Chimna, Badshah brings Marathi folk music and hip-hop together while putting the spotlight on Maharashtra’s culture and homegrown talent.

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