‘Bawarey ho bawarey, tu kyun nahi sukh paye’ is the soulful refrain echoed in singer Amitabh Sen’s brand new single ‘Bawarey’. The song’s easy lyrics and lilting melodies will appeal to those who enjoyed the heyday of indie-pop music in the 1990s. Released on April 19, this Hindi track “reflects on the restless nature of the mind and its constant search for happiness,” in the words of Sen.
He explains, “The song speaks about the tendency to chase fulfilment through external things like wealth, relationships, and material desires, while quietly pointing toward the need to look within. The idea comes from my own experiences of pursuing these things and eventually realizing that they did not bring the sense of fulfilment I had imagined. The video extends this thought visually, capturing different spaces where people turn towards spirituality, reinforcing the song’s underlying message of introspection and inner seeking.”
While the melody and lyrics were written many years ago, it took time for the final version of the song to come to fruition. Over that period of time – nearly a decade – Sen has performed ‘Bawarey’ live with different musicians, including with The Overseas Project. “But I was never satisfied with the recorded version of the song,” he shares. “It was only last year that the song finally found its form. It happened during my visit to Bir, where I was performing at the Bir Music Festival. Surrounded by the Himalayas and the stillness of the monasteries, I felt a strong pull to finally complete the track. Around the same time, Krishna Chauhan, who had travelled with me, came on board to play guitars on the song. The production was shaped in collaboration with Hasib Reza, my long-time creative partner, along with Coma Studios, who handled the co-production, mix, and master.”
“’Bawarey’ carries a sense of quiet reflection. It does not try to offer answers as much as it invites the listener to pause and question their own journey. With its emotive sound and introspective core, the track feels both personal and relatable, speaking to anyone who has ever chased something only to realise that what they were looking for might have been within them all along,” he adds.
Sen was born into a family of musicians and was introduced to music at an early age with the Hindustani classical tradition. Over time, he began to blend this foundation with western musical styles and began writing and composing songs from a young age. This was also the time when Delhi’s vibrant music scene came alive between 2006 and 2011. Hence, he would regularly attend live gigs and festivals and absorb the sound of a wide spectrum of bands including Parikrama, Euphoria, Advaita, Indian Ocean, Them Clones, and Menwhopause. “This immersive environment played a significant role in shaping my musical sensibilities and inspiring me to pursue original music,” he says.
It was during college that Sen began writing and composing his songs in Hindi, drawing from a diverse set of influences, ranging from Strings and Fuzon to Scorpions, U2, and Coldplay, and the evolving sound of Coke Studio. His first band was Element 21 which quickly gained recognition, most notably at Yamaha Asian Beats 2010, where they won the North India round in Delhi. Selected as finalists from over 150 bands, they shared the stage with leading acts like Zygnema. Around this time, Sen was also actively performing at prominent festivals such as Escape in Naukuchiatal, further establishing his presence in the independent music circuit.
In 2012, he co-founded The Overseas Project with producer and keyboardist Hasib Reza in Pune. The duo performed at notable venues and festivals like High Spirits, Anti Social and India Bike Week in Goa. Their original music was also featured on platforms like MTV and SonyLIV.
Sen doesn’t restrict himself to the indie pop and pop-rock space, continuing to explore and experiment with different sounds. His music often incorporates elements of folk and fusion, as with his track ‘Piya Ki Nazariya’, where he presented a classical thumri with a contemporary twist.
Since 2025, Sen has gone solo and released music under his own name. His recent single ‘Saavan’ crossed 100,000 views on YouTube, while another track, ‘Banjarey’ is also approaching that milestone. He also performed at the Bir Music Festival 2025, further strengthening his connection with live audiences and the independent music community.
‘Bawarey’ is available on all music platforms.
Noor Anand Chawla pens lifestyle articles for various publications and her blog www.nooranandchawla.com.
