For years, Haryanvi rap lived in the shadow of Punjab's hip-hop giants. Then a former athlete from a village near Hisar, studying in Australia, started rapping about home over drill beats. Today Dhanda Nyoliwala is the name most people think of when they hear Haryanvi hip-hop.

Dhanda Nyoliwala at a glance

Real name: Parveen (Praveen) Dhanda
From: Nyoli Kalan, Hisar district, Haryana
Based in: Australia
Style: Haryanvi drill and hip-hop
Debut: Afgan (2020)
Biggest song: Russian Bandana, more than 240 million Spotify streams
Latest album: Kohram (2026)

From athlete to rapper

Dhanda grew up in Nyoli, the village that gives him his stage name. He was an athlete before music, and in 2018 he moved to Australia for higher education. He began writing songs in 2019 and went full time in 2020 with Afgan, a track that blended West Coast hip-hop with his native Haryanvi flow.

That sound became known as Haryanvi drill, and Dhanda is widely credited with pioneering it.

The songs that built him

1. Afgan (2020). The debut that announced a new sound.
2. First Haryanvi Drill (2021). A sitar-laced track whose title said it all.
3. Up To U (2022). His breakthrough, which reached No. 1 on Spotify and Shazam in India.
4. No Mercy and Unstoppable (2023).
5. Chora Baba Ka with Raftaar (2023). A big-name collaboration that pushed him to a national audience.
6. Ego Killer (2024).
7. Surrey BC (March 2025). A track for the diaspora, name-checking Toronto and Surrey.
8. Russian Bandana and Tension. His biggest streaming hits, with Russian Bandana passing 240 million Spotify streams.

In September 2026, when Spotify launched its Haryanvi 101 playlist, Dhanda had six songs on Spotify India's Top 200 at once, and his 2026 album Kohram was in the top 15 of the weekly Top Albums India chart. Read the full story at https://mediamarvels.in/news/spotify-haryanvi-101-playlist-launch-dhanda-nyoliwala-banjaare.

Live and global

Dhanda performs across Australia, New Zealand, Canada and India. He played Spotify's Rap 91 Live showcase in Mumbai and was booked for Rolling Loud India 2026 alongside Burna Boy and Karan Aujla. Read our lineup guide at https://mediamarvels.in/blog/rolling-loud-india-2026-lineup-burna-boy-metro-boomin.

The controversies

Dhanda's unfiltered style has drawn criticism too.

1. In December 2025, lines on his album Vomit on Paper about fake godmen and religious imagery caused a backlash online. He announced he would revise the controversial lyric.
2. In April 2026, his Dehradun concert was cancelled over permission issues. At his Mumbai show a few days later, he criticised the officials involved and thanked the Maharashtra police, and Badshah joined him on stage.

Why Dhanda matters

Dhanda showed that Haryanvi, a language often mocked in Hindi films, could carry serious, modern rap. His success has opened the door for a new wave of Haryanvi rappers such as Rawme Hooda. Meet him at https://mediamarvels.in/blog/who-is-rawme-hooda-haryanvi-rapper.

Dhanda Nyoliwala: FAQs

What is Dhanda Nyoliwala's real name?
Parveen Dhanda, also spelled Praveen Dhanda.

Where is Dhanda Nyoliwala from?
Nyoli Kalan in Haryana's Hisar district. He is based in Australia.

What is Dhanda Nyoliwala's biggest song?
Russian Bandana, with more than 240 million Spotify streams.

What was his first song?
Afgan, released in 2020.

What is his latest album?
Kohram (2026).

Is Dhanda Nyoliwala at Rolling Loud India?
Yes, he is on the Rolling Loud India 2026 lineup.

Haryanvi artist with a new drop? Put it in front of fans across India. Promote your music on Media Marvels at https://mediamarvels.in/promote.

Image: Haryanvi folk performers in traditional dress. Photo via Wikimedia Commons, used under its free licence.