Chinmayi Sripada‘s ‘Vyah Naio Karna’ challenges wedding norms

Chinmayi Sripada
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Chinmayi Sripada’s latest song, ‘Vyah Naio Karna’, challenges traditional expectations surrounding weddings and offers a playful, refreshing take on the institution of marriage. Penned by Hemant Jeswani, ‘Vyah Naio Karna’ provides a modern take on wedding traditions, celebrating the joy of rituals such as haldi, mehendi and sangeet through the story of a young girl who loves the festivities but chooses not to marry.

Speaking over a video call, Chinmayi agrees that the song’s playful tone resonates with modern perspectives on love and marriage. “The girl in ‘Vyah Naio Karna’ says, ‘Mujhe attention chahiye, tension nahi’. She treats the wedding as an event — a party where she can dress up, be celebrated, and enjoy herself without needing a groom. The video beautifully showcases how women of different age groups relate to her perspective.”

Start of a conversation

Chinmayi believes this casual, humorous approach is in tune with current trends, such as the rise of the 4G movement — where women opt out of marriage and motherhood. “While this could pose demographic challenges in the future, it is a way of saying, ‘Enough is enough’. The song might not spark serious debates, but it is a great way to initiate conversations,“ she adds.

The indie music video
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

The collaboration behind ‘Vyah Naio Karna’ was equally organic. Hemant Jeswani approached Chinmayi with the concept of an independent song. “I do not have a complex vetting process — I just go with my instinct. When I saw the concept, I found it refreshing. The girl in the song wants all the fun, shopping, and celebrations of a wedding without the actual marriage. It is fun and quirky, and I was immediately on board. The girl is young and natkhat (playful). She might change her perspective later in life, but now, her nature shines through. The video encapsulates that beautifully, and I approached the song with that sweet, fun perspective in mind.”

As an artiste with a strong presence in both Hindi and South Indian music, Chinmayi‘s versatility is well-known. Her transition into Hindi music, despite her South Indian roots, has also been a defining aspect of her career. “I think I got lucky with songs like ‘Tere Bina’ (Guru, 2007), which has had a resurgence on social media. Many people did not realise I was South Indian when they heard me sing. Another milestone was singing for Sairat, one of the biggest hits in Marathi cinema. It is humbling to see these songs stand the test of time, unlike viral hooks that fade quickly.”

Chinmayi credits her multilingual upbringing for her lack of regional accent and ability to adapt effortlessly to various languages. “I grew up speaking six languages at one point. When I spoke German during a corporate interview, the interviewer thought I was a native speaker because of my cadence and inflections. Exposure to multiple languages as a child helps. My husband (actor-director Rahul Ravindran), for example, is fluent in Gujarati and Hindi, and when he is on the phone, no one can tell he is not a native speaker — it is seamless. When he learned Telugu, he mastered it to sound like a native. Today, he writes his dialogues and screenplays in Telugu and received a National Award for his first film (Chi La Sow).

Of women and weddings

While on the topic of the song’s playful narrative and catchy music, Chinmayi shares her thoughts on the restrictive nature of traditional wedding norms, particularly for women. “Weddings often require women to erase their individuality,“ Chinmayi explains. “In some communities, women are even asked to change their name after marriage — essentially starting over with a new identity. It is almost as if their past, family traditions, and everything they have known must be discarded.“ These patriarchal expectations extend beyond identity. Despite being illegal, dowry remains a grim reality in many places, leading to tragedies such as dowry-related deaths even today, she adds.

Hemant Jeswani
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

However, Chinmayi is optimistic about the gradual change she sees in society. “Recently, a mother cancelled her daughter’s wedding after witnessing the groom’s family’s behaviour. She took a stand, which is so inspiring. But on the whole, traditional marriage systems still largely benefit men, while women are often made to believe they need ‘protection‘ — ironically, from the very people the system is designed to please.”