Sanju Rathod

Sanju Rathod
Rathod in 2024
Born (1998-11-24) 24 November 1998
Dhanwad, Jalgaon district, Maharashtra, India
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • composer
  • lyricist
Musical career
OriginMaharashtra, India
Genres
Years active2017–present
LabelIndependent

Sanju Rathod (Marathi pronunciation: [səɲd͡ʒuː raːʈʰoːɖ]; born 24 November 1998)[4], is an Indian singer, songwriter, composer, and lyricist primarily known for his work in the Marathi music industry. He gained widespread recognition with his viral 2024 hit "Gulabi Sadi," followed by popular tracks like "Shaky", "Kali Bindi" and "Sundari". Rathod’s music fuses traditional Marathi folk with contemporary pop, Afrobeats, and indie sounds, attracting a massive following among younger audiences.[3]

Early life

Sanju Rathod was born on 24 November 1998 in Dhanwad village, Jalgaon district, Maharashtra, into a Banjara family. His father is a farmer and his mother is a homemaker. He initially studied mechanical engineering before developing an interest in music during his college years. Inspired by artists such as Honey Singh, he began writing and performing rap songs, with his passion for music partly influenced by personal experiences. In 2017, Rathod left college and moved to Mumbai to pursue a career in music, overcoming financial difficulties, family opposition, and criticism during his early journey.[5][6]

Career

Rathod started his music career with independent releases, beginning with devotional tracks dedicated to Ganpati Bappa, which garnered 10–15 million views on YouTube each year.[7] His other songs "Chamiya", "Style Martay", "Jhumka" also went popular. His breakthrough came with "Nauvari Pahije" in May 2023, a vibrant single picturised with Prajakta Ghag that surpassed 200 million YouTube views and won the "Favorite Song (Non-film)" award at the 14th Maharashtracha Favourite Kon?.[8][9]

In 2024, Rathod achieved nationwide fame with "Gulabi Sadi" (transl. Pink Saree), released on 6 February as a sequel to "Nauvari Pahije".[10][11] The song's catchy melody, vibrant lyrics, and music video—directed by Rathod and featuring Prajakta Ghag—went viral, inspiring over 5 million Instagram reels.[12] Celebrities like Madhuri Dixit, Remo D'Souza joined the trend.[13] The track marked the first Marathi song to be displayed on New York's Times Square[14] and received praise from international artists in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Indian rappers like Divine and Badshah.[15] Rathod appeared on "Superstar Singer 3" with Neha Kakkar.[16][17]

In October 2024, Rathod made history as the first Marathi singer to open for Alan Walker's Sunburn Arena concert, representing regional music on an international stage.[18] Rathod's 2025 release "Shaky", featuring Bigg Boss fame Isha Malviya, debuted on 22 April and quickly topped YouTube's Top 100 Music Videos Global chart.[19] Blending Marathi folk with Afrobeats, it garnered over 100 million views and 3.4 million Instagram reels. Rathod revealed plans for its potential inclusion in a Bollywood film, highlighting his growing crossover appeal.[20]

Rathod’s next single, "Sundari", featuring Yashika Jatav, was released on 11 September 2025 at YouTube fanfest 2025.[21][22] It gained massive attention, garnering over 4.47 crore views on YouTube within its first month.[23]

Discography

Notable singles

Year Song Title Type / Genre Notable Details
2023 "Nauvari Pahije" Marathi Pop Over 20 million YouTube views; won Maharashtracha Favourite Kon? award[24]
2024 "Gulabi Sadi" Marathi Pop Viral Marathi hit; popular dance number[12]
2025 "Shaky" Dance / EDM Featured Isha Malviya; topped global YouTube charts[3]
"Sundari" Romantic Pop [23]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2024 Maharashtracha Favourite Kon? Favorite Non-film song "Nauvari Pahije" Won [9]
2024 Indian Independent Music Awards (IIMA) Best Marathi song "Gulabi Sadi" Won [25]
Best Song – Independent Won

References

  1. ^ "Marathi Pop Goes Global With This Singer Who Came From 'Village With Barely 50 Houses, No Internet'". News18. Retrieved 2025-09-16.
  2. ^ "Sanju Rathod's 'Shaky' sparks Marathi pop revolution, breaks records across platforms". The Hans India. 2025-07-11. Retrieved 2025-09-16.
  3. ^ a b c Tagat, Anurag (2025-05-15). "Sanju Rathod on How He Put Marathi, Rajasthani Folk, Hip-Hop and Afro Together for 'Shaky'". Rolling Stone India. Retrieved 2025-09-16.
  4. ^ Mimtaz (2024-06-16). "Gulabi Sadi Viral Song: Who Is Sanju Rathod? Meet The Man Behind This Viral Track; Check Bio, Instagram & More". filmibeat. Retrieved 2025-11-23.
  5. ^ "Gulaabi Sadi's Singer Sanju Rathod Fell In Love With Music After A Heartbreak In College". Free Press Journal. Retrieved 2025-09-15.
  6. ^ "Gulabi sadi singer Sanju Rathod on taking Marathi pop global". Mid-day. 2025-05-19. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
  7. ^ "Sanju Rathod Recalls Getting Abused, Tortured After Taking Loan For Songs: People Thought I Made Money But... | Exclusive". Times Now. 2025-09-11. Retrieved 2025-09-15.
  8. ^ Bhirvandekar, Harshada. "Nauvari Song: 'नऊवारी साडी' ठरतेय युट्युबवर सुपरहिट! संजू राठोडच्या व्हायरल गाण्याला २० मिलियन व्हूज". Hindustan Times Marathi (in Marathi). Retrieved 2025-09-15.
  9. ^ a b "'महाराष्ट्राचा फेवरेट कोण?' मध्ये कोणी मारली बाजी? कोणाला मिळाले सर्वाधिक पुरस्कार? वाचा". Loksatta (in Marathi). 2024-02-19. Retrieved 2025-09-15.
  10. ^ Borade, Aarti Vilas. "ट्रेंडमध्ये असलेले 'गुलाबी साडी' हे गाणे कोणी गायले आणि कसे सुचले माहिती आहे का? जाणून घ्या". Hindustan Times Marathi (in Marathi). Retrieved 2025-09-15.
  11. ^ "'गुलाबी साडी' गाणं का लिहिलं? संजू राठोडने सांगितलं खास कनेक्शन! फक्त एका तासात रचली चाल". Loksatta (in Marathi). 2024-07-28. Retrieved 2025-09-19.
  12. ^ a b "Viral song Gulabi Sadi's singer Sanju Rathod: Mumbai Indians, Madhuri Dixit- both my favorites made reels on the song". Hindustan Times. 2024-04-05. Retrieved 2025-09-15.
  13. ^ "Madhuri Dixit, Remo D'Souza Vibe On The Global Trend Of 'Gulabi Sadi'". Lehren. 2024-04-05. Retrieved 2025-09-15.
  14. ^ शिकलगार, स्वालिया न (2024-04-29). "Trending Gulabi Sadi Song : संजू राठोडच्या फॅन्ससाठी आनंदाची बातमी| 'गुलाबी साडी' गाणं झळकलं 'न्यूयॉर्क टाईम्स स्क्वेअर'वर". Pudhari News (in Marathi). Retrieved 2025-09-15.
  15. ^ "Never expected Gulabi Sadi to go viral: Sanju Rathod". The Times of India. 2024-06-30. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2025-09-15.
  16. ^ "Neha Kakkar radiates happiness on meeting 'Gulabi Sadi' singer Sanju Rathod on 'Superstar Singer 3'". mirchi.in. Retrieved 2025-09-15.
  17. ^ "Superstar Singer 3: Viral song Gulabi Sadi fame singer Sanju Rathod sprinkles his musical magic on stage". The Times of India. 2024-04-27. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2025-09-15.
  18. ^ Narayan, Kimaya (2024-11-11). "'गुलाबी साडी' फेम संजू राठोडने रचला इतिहास ; अ‍ॅलन वॉकरच्या कॉन्सर्टमध्ये परफॉर्म करण्याचा मिळाला बहुमान". Sakal (in Marathi). Retrieved 2025-09-15.
  19. ^ "From 'Gulabi Sadi' to 'Shaky': How Heartbreak Turned Sanju Rathod into Marathi Pop's Global Star". Pune Pulse. 2025-07-15. Retrieved 2025-09-15.
  20. ^ "Gulabi Sadi singer Sanju Rathod on Shaky going viral now: It might feature in a Bollywood film soon". Hindustan Times. 2025-06-30. Retrieved 2025-09-15.
  21. ^ "Sanju Rathod drops another Marathi pop song Sundari featuring Yashika Jatav". mirchi.in. Retrieved 2025-09-15.
  22. ^ Nair, Sharanyaa (2025-09-13). "Why Creators Could Be the Future of India's Pop Culture". Rolling Stone India. Retrieved 2025-09-15.
  23. ^ a b "Sundari Song Lyrics: सुंदरी गाण्यातील 'टक टक देखरो'चा अर्थ माहिती आहे का ? संजू राठोडचं गाणं सुपरहिट झालं". NDTV Marathi (in Marathi). Retrieved 2025-10-22.
  24. ^ "'महाराष्ट्राचा फेवरेट कोण?' मध्ये कोणी मारली बाजी? कोणाला मिळाले सर्वाधिक पुरस्कार? वाचा". Loksatta (in Marathi). 2024-02-19. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  25. ^ "The Indian Music Awards 2024: See The Full Winners List". Rolling Stone India. 2024-12-11. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.