Small-Town Pop Icon

Long before his songs took over reels, charts and city soundscapes, music had already found Sanju Rathod. It arrived quietly, in a small Banjara household in Maharashtra's Dhanwad village, where evenings often ended with his uncles and grandfather singing. Years later, during high school, music returned to him at a vulnerable moment. A bad breakup pushed Rathod towards songwriting. What began as short couplets and emotional stanzas soon evolved into writing and singing rap songs—entirely in Marathi, the language in which he found his most natural expression.

- By Samidha Jain

Sanju Rathod (28)

Musician

Over the last couple of years, Rathod has become one of the most influential voices of regional pop, blending traditional Marathi elements with current beats to make music that travels far beyond state borders. His breakout track 'Gulabi Sadi', which came out in 2024, became a cultural phenomenon, crossed over 500 million views on YouTube, and took over all the streaming platforms. The song poured into people's daily digital lives, on to reels and as part of celebrations. It even lit up New York's Times Square. He followed it with another viral song in 'Shaky' in 2025 which reached the 500-million views mark, sealing Rathod's position in this new wave of Marathi pop—proudly local yet unmistakably global.