INTERVIEW | Hanuman Ansh's Viral Song Has A Visually Impaired Singer Behind It, His Story Will Touch Your Heart
In conversation with ETV Bharat, visually impaired singer Sunil Lodhi opens up about his journey from village bhajans to Hanuman Ansh.
By ETV Bharat Entertainment Team
Published : September 1, 2026 at 8:19 PM IST
Sagar (Madhya Pradesh): Sunil Lodhi, a 25-year-old visually impaired singer from a small village in Sagar, may never have imagined that his voice would one day reach the big screen. But his faith in God and love for music helped him turn his limitations into his strength.
In an exclusive interview with ETV Bharat, Sunil Lodhi opened up about his journey from singing bhajans and traditional Bundeli folk songs in his village to becoming a singer in the film Hanuman Ansh. He also spoke about his struggles, his meeting with YouTuber Rohit Sahu and how his music eventually reached the film industry.
Today, Sunil is winning hearts with his soulful voice and devotional songs. His voice can be heard in the devotional song “Maine Tere Hi Bharose Hanuman, Sagar Mein Naiya Daar Dai”, which has been included in Hanuman Ansh. The song is getting attention on social media, with people making reels and short videos using it.
Sunil Has Been Visually Impaired Since Childhood
Sunil Lodhi is a resident of Agra village in the Surkhi assembly constituency of Sagar. He has been visually impaired since birth. His parents tried their best to get treatment for him, but his eyesight could not be restored.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, Sunil said, “My parents took me everywhere for treatment according to their ability, but perhaps it was not God’s will. I could never see the world with my own eyes. There are my parents, two brothers and sisters in my family. We make a living from two acres of land and livestock. Due to financial difficulties and my visual impairment, I could not complete my education. But when I devoted myself to God, it felt as if my entire world changed.”
Despite his difficulties, Sunil developed a strong interest in music and bhajans at a young age. While studying in school, he would sing songs and bhajans for his teachers and classmates. Some of them would record his performances on their mobile phones.
His popularity slowly grew in his village. He began getting invitations to sing at religious and cultural programmes. He later learned to play the tambura, and singing bhajans became an important part of his life.
A Viral Video Changed His Life
Sunil’s life changed when he met YouTuber Rohit Sahu in 2019. Rohit uploads videos under the name Bundeli Duniya. After hearing Sunil sing, Rohit started recording his performances and sharing them on social media.
One of Sunil’s Bundeli songs, “Dulha Bankar Aa Gav Thela, Hai Motor Ko Byaw...”, reached a large audience on YouTube. The video was viewed by around nine lakh people. After this, Sunil started getting more invitations to perform. He also began earning money from his performances, which helped his family financially.
Sunil and Rohit then recorded several bhajans together. One of them, “O More Sankat Ke Kataiya Hanuman,” became a major hit on social media. The traditional Hanuman bhajan is rooted in the folk culture of Bundelkhand and praises Lord Hanuman as the remover of troubles.
The video has now received more than 2.9 crore views. Sunil’s voice attracted thousands of listeners, and his story also showed how talent from a small village can reach a much bigger audience through social media.
How Sunil Reached Mumbai
Sunil’s growing popularity eventually brought him to Mumbai. According to the singer, Rohit played an important role in taking his music to a bigger audience.
Sunil told ETV Bharat, “Rohit Mama has played a huge role in my struggles and the success I have achieved today. He held my hand, made my videos and supported me. If he had not been with me, I might still have been unknown in my village.”
Sunil first travelled to Indore and later went to Mumbai. At Sai Baba Studio in Mumbai, he recorded several songs. According to the reference account, he recorded around eight songs there. At that time, Sunil did not know that one of those recordings would eventually become part of a film.
How Maine Tere Hi Bharose Became Part Of Hanuman Ansh
During his stay in Mumbai, Sunil and Rohit visited Versova Beach and clicked some photographs. Rohit later posted the pictures on the Bundeli Duniya Instagram page. The post caught the attention of Hanuman Ansh director Vishal Chaturvedi. He contacted Rohit and asked whether he and Sunil were in Mumbai.
Rohit confirmed that they were there. The director then shared the address of a nearby studio. Sunil and Rohit went there, where Sunil sang three or four bhajans for the director and the film team. One of the songs, “Maine Tere Hi Bharose Hanuman, Sagar Mein Naiya Daar Dai,” impressed the director. The team decided to include it in Hanuman Ansh.
The song is based on faith and surrender to Lord Hanuman. With its inclusion in the film, Sunil’s voice has travelled from village gatherings to cinema screens.
Sunil Dreams Of Singing With Jubin Nautiyal
Sunil is now receiving attention from across the country. People are making reels and Shorts on his bhajans, and many are also looking for him to hear him sing live. He wants to continue his journey in the film industry and has signed an agreement to record eight more songs.
One of his biggest dreams is to sing with popular singer Jubin Nautiyal. Sunil said he likes Jubin’s singing and hopes to get an opportunity to work with him one day.
Sunil also wants to get married. However, he wants a partner who understands his life and circumstances and stays with him through every situation.
Speaking of Hanuman Ansh, the film is based on the life of Neem Karoli Baba and has also performed well at the box office. The film has reportedly earned around Rs 53 crore in 25 days against a reported budget of Rs 1.8 crore.
