Viral bhajan leads visually impaired singer Sunil Lodhi to 'Hanuman Ansh'

From village to Mumbai

Sunil Lodhi, a 25-year-old visually impaired singer from a small village in the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh, has risen from performing bhajans with a tambura in his local area to recording for a Bollywood film. A video of his traditional Hanuman bhajan, 'O More Sankat Ke Kataiya Hanuman', went viral online, amassing more than 29 million views, as reported by The Times of India.

The viral clip captured Lodhi singing in a simple style, without modern musical equipment or elaborate arrangements, a quality that resonated with listeners and helped the recording connect widely. India Today noted that many social media users praised Lodhi, expressing that talent is not limited by physical disability.

Discovery and journey

The viral bhajan brought Lodhi to the attention of music producer Pankaj VRK, who began searching for him after hearing his voice. According to The Times of India, Pankaj VRK said, "I have been working on YouTube for around three years. More Sankat Ke Kataiya sounded very good in his voice, so I wanted to contact him." He added that finding Lodhi was not easy, as he had to search "here and there" before locating his contact number.

Lodhi's musical journey began in childhood. He told the Hindustan Times, as reported by The Times of India, "I used to sing on the tambura." His break came through the Bundeli Duniya social media page, where his Bundeli songs started gaining attention. While his song 'Dula Ban Ke Aa Gai' had already crossed lakhs of views, it was the Hanuman bhajan that transformed his career.

After being contacted, Lodhi travelled first to Indore and then to Mumbai, where he recorded around eight songs at Sai Baba Studio, as reported by both India Today and The Times of India. At the time, he did not know that one of those recordings would later become part of a film soundtrack.

A song in 'Hanuman Ansh'

One of the songs Lodhi recorded, 'Maine Tere Hi Bharose', was included in the film 'Hanuman Ansh'. The Times of India reports that this is Lodhi's latest song and the only one released so far from the film. The song has been praised for its raw, earthy appeal.

The film, directed by Vishal Chaturvedi and inspired by the life of Neem Karoli Baba, was released on August 7. According to The Times of India, the film has earned over Rs 45 crore in India. India Today reports that the film has earned about Rs 53.43 crore in 25 days against a budget of Rs 1.8 crore, describing it as an unexpected box office success. The film's theatrical run is currently in discussion.