A viral Hanuman bhajan has turned visually impaired Bundelkhand singer Suneel Lodhi into a pan-India sensation, eventually leading him to sing for the surprise box-office hit ‘Hanuman Ansh’. What began as devotional songs recorded with just a tambura for company has now grown into a journey that took Lodhi from his hometown to a Mumbai recording studio, with his latest song ‘Maine Tere Hi Bharose’ winning widespread praise for its raw, earthy appeal.
The voice behind the viral song from ‘Hanuman Ansh’ – Suneel Lodhi
Suneel Lodhi’s connection with music dates back to his childhood. Recalling how it all started, he told the Hindustan Times, “I used to sing on the tambura.” Over the years, he built a repertoire of devotional and Bundeli folk songs, performing for people in his community long before digital platforms widened his reach.His break came through the Bundeli Duniya social media page. He said, “I had been singing songs for the Bundeli Duniya page. That is where my Bundeli songs started getting noticed.” While his song ‘Dula Ban Ke Aa Gai’ had already crossed lakhs of views, it was the traditional Hanuman bhajan ‘More Sankat Ke Kataiya’ that truly transformed his career, going on to amass over 29 million views online.The song’s simplicity is what caught the attention of filmmaker and music producer Pankaj VRK. Recorded with nothing more than Lodhi’s voice and his tambura, it stood out for its rawness. Pankaj 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.”However, tracking down Lodhi wasn’t easy. Pankaj said he had to search “here and there” before finally locating the singer’s contact number. Soon after, Suneel Lodhi travelled to Indore for the first time, a trip that eventually paved the way for his journey to Mumbai.
From one viral bhajan to a ‘Hanuman Ansh’ song
When Suneel Lodhi got a call from Mumbai following the success of ‘More Sankat Ke Kataiya’, he had little idea of where his career was headed next. Pankaj helped him get access to Sai Baba Studio in Mumbai, where he recorded close to eight songs. Of these, ‘Maine Tere Hi Bharose’ is the one that has been released so far.The track is a fresh composition rooted in traditional devotional lyrics, with Lodhi handling both vocals and music. Describing the recording process, the 25-year-old singer said that it was fairly simple. He added, “I sang it on the tambura, recorded the vocals in the studio and came back.” Interestingly, Suneel Lodhi had no idea at the time that the song would become part of a film. He admitted, “I did not know that this song would be in a film.“For him, though, singing a Hanuman bhajan felt like familiar ground. He explained, “More Sankat Ke Kataiya is a traditional Hanuman bhajan. I keep singing these traditional bhajans. Maine Tere Hi Bharose is also traditional.”That film turned out to be ‘Hanuman Ansh’, directed by Vishal Chaturvedi.Inspired by the life and spiritual journey of Neem Karoli Baba, whose deep devotion to Lord Hanuman forms the emotional core of the story. The film released in theatres on August 7. Despite a modest start, it has surprised the trade with its steady box-office performance, giving Lodhi’s devotional music a much wider audience than he ever imagined.Made on a reported budget of Rs 2 crore, the film has earned over Rs 45 crore in India.
