Punei Janha by Aseema Panda

When Aseema Panda recorded Punei Janha, something special happened in the studio — and listeners have felt it ever since. Somesh Satpathy has a history of strong work, and the music on Punei Janha is among the most memorable of it.

There are singers who perform songs and singers who live inside them. On Punei Janha, Aseema Panda clearly belongs in the second group. The chemistry of Supriya Nayak, Jyoti Ranjan Nayak, Divyaa, Rohan, Santu Nijee, Shakti Baral, Arpita Sahoo is embedded in every moment of Punei Janha, making it as much a performance as a song.

The song dates from 2023, but nothing about it sounds dated — the emotions it captures are not tied to a moment. There is a quality to Punei Janha that makes it feel like company — the kind of song you put on when words feel insufficient.

At 4:01, the track does not overstay its welcome — it says what it needs to say and leaves the listener wanting more. It is, simply, one of the better songs to come from Odia in recent memory — and the numbers agree.