Madhuri Dixit danced to it. Times Square screened it. Millions of Reels used it. Gulabi Sadi made Marathi pop a national craze in 2024, and the man behind it, Sanju Rathod, has kept the hits coming ever since.

Sanju Rathod at a glance

Born: 24 November 1998
From: Dhanwad village, Jalgaon district, Maharashtra
Background: Banjara family; father a farmer
Education: studied mechanical engineering before leaving for music
Style: Marathi pop mixed with Banjara folk, Afrobeats and indie sounds
Label: independent

From engineering to Mumbai

Sanju grew up in a Banjara farming family in a small village in Jalgaon. He began writing and performing rap songs in college, inspired by artists like Honey Singh. In 2017 he left college and moved to Mumbai, facing money problems, family opposition and criticism in his early years.

His first steady audience came from devotional songs for Ganpati Bappa, which drew 10 to 15 million YouTube views every year. Songs like Chamiya, Style Martay and Jhumka followed.

The hits

1. Nauvari Pahije (May 2023). His breakthrough with Prajakta Ghag, which passed 200 million YouTube views and won Favourite Song (Non-film) at Maharashtracha Favourite Kon.
2. Gulabi Sadi (February 2024). A sequel to Nauvari Pahije, directed by Sanju himself. It inspired over 5 million Instagram Reels, became the first Marathi song shown on Times Square, and won Best Marathi Song and Best Song (Independent) at the Indian Independent Music Awards.
3. Shaky (April 2025). With Isha Malviya, blending Marathi folk with Afrobeats. It topped YouTube's Top 100 Music Videos Global chart and crossed 100 million views.
4. Sundari (September 2025). Launched at YouTube Fanfest, with about 4.5 crore views in its first month.
5. Bangles (April 2026). His second song with Isha Malviya.

Firsts

In October 2024, Sanju became the first Marathi singer to open for Alan Walker, at Sunburn Arena. He has also appeared on Superstar Singer 3 with Neha Kakkar, and has drawn praise from rappers like Divine and Badshah.

Why Sanju Rathod matters

Sanju proved that a song in Marathi, with Banjara folk colour, can travel the world without being translated or toned down. His success has helped build the audience now powering Marathi music's growth on streaming. Read about Marathi rap's breakout year at https://mediamarvels.in/news/marathi-rap-boom-2026-badshah-chimna-nagesh-morwekar.

What independent artists can learn

1. Build a base first. His devotional songs gave him a loyal audience before the big hits.
2. Make sequels to your hits. Gulabi Sadi built on Nauvari Pahije.
3. Direct your own vision. He directed the Gulabi Sadi video himself.
4. Design for Reels. A simple hook and dance step can carry a song across the world.

Sanju Rathod: FAQs

Where is Sanju Rathod from?
Dhanwad village in Jalgaon district, Maharashtra.

Who sang Gulabi Sadi?
Sanju Rathod, who also wrote and directed it.

When was Shaky released?
22 April 2025.

What is Sanju Rathod's latest song?
Bangles, released in April 2026.

Who did Sanju Rathod open for?
Alan Walker, at Sunburn Arena in October 2024.

Making Marathi music? Put your next release in front of listeners across India. Promote your music on Media Marvels at https://mediamarvels.in/promote.

Image: A vinyl record on a turntable. Photo via Wikimedia Commons, used under its free licence.