Kanai Das Baul, the visually impaired Baul singer from West Bengal known for his spiritual devotion and folk musical heritage, passed away on 18 April. Despite losing his eyesight, he remained closely associated with the Baul tradition, performing with his ektara and travelling across villages, fairs and akhras. His songs often reflected humanism and spiritual philosophy, including well-known numbers such as “Manush Bhojle Sonar Manush Hobi” and “Ke Bole Manush More, Ami Bujhlam Na Bapar”, among several other widely performed Baul compositions.
In his lifetime, Kanai Das Baul recorded playback singing for cinema only once. This sole recording was made for director Mejbauer Rahman Suman’s upcoming film Roid. The recording was completed last year, making it both his first and final contribution to film playback music. He did not, however, live to hear the final version of the song as it appears in the film.
Director Mejbauer Rahman Suman confirmed that Kanai Das Baul’s song for Roid will be released, although its title has not yet been made public. According to the director, the singer had expressed a desire to listen to the completed version after post-production, but that opportunity did not arise before his death.
Mejbauer Rahman Suman had previously incorporated Baul music into his work, notably using the song “Aat Ta Baje Deri Koris Na” performed by Basudev Das Baul in his film Hawa. In the case of Roid, the director has stated that Kanai Das Baul’s recorded track remains part of the film’s musical structure and will be published in due course.
The film Roid, which is awaiting release, features actors Mosstafizur Noor Imran, Nazifa Tushi and Gazi Rakayet, among others. Prior to the release of Kanai Das Baul’s song, the film has already published its first track titled “Roide Aila Ga Jurai Te”. This song was written, composed and performed by Rajib Ahmed Raju of the band Shohojia, with music direction by Rashid Sharif Shoaib.
Roid – Film and Music Overview
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Film title | Roid |
| Director | Mejbauer Rahman Suman |
| Principal cast | Mosstafizur Noor Imran, Nazifa Tushi, Gazi Rakayet, others |
| First released song | “Roide Aila Ga Jurai Te” |
| Performer (first song) | Rajib Ahmed Raju |
| Music director (first song) | Rashid Sharif Shoaib |
| Kanai Das Baul contribution | One playback song (title undisclosed) |
| Recording period | Last year |
| Release status of Baul song | Pending |
| Artist | Kanai Das Baul (deceased, 18 April) |
Kanai Das Baul’s involvement in Roid remains his only known film playback recording, marking a rare intersection of traditional Baul music with contemporary Bengali cinema.