At just 11, Suneel Lodhi was already singing traditional Bundeli folk songs and bhajans in villages and on local trains in Bundelkhand, Madhya Pradesh. His companion was simple: a tambura and a voice filled with the earthy character of his homeland. Years later, that same voice would travel far beyond Bundelkhand.

Lodhi, now 25, began gaining attention through the social media page Bundeli Duniya, where his folk songs found an audience online. His song Dula Ban Ke Aa Gai had already crossed lakhs of views.

But then came a Hanuman bhajan that changed everything.

The Bhajan That Went Viral

More Sankat Ke Kataiya, a traditional Hanuman bhajan performed by Lodhi, began spreading rapidly online. Recorded with little more than his voice and tambura, the song's unpolished, deeply rooted sound struck a chord with listeners. It eventually crossed 29 million views, turning the Bundelkhand singer into a digital sensation.

Among those who noticed was filmmaker and music producer Pankaj VRK. “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,” Pankaj told Hindustan Times. After some effort, Pankaj finally managed to track down his contact number. That call would open an entirely new chapter.

From Indore to a Mumbai Studio

Lodhi first travelled to Indore and eventually received an opportunity to record in Mumbai. At Sai Baba Studio, he recorded nearly eight songs. One of them was Maine Tere Hi Bharose—a devotional composition rooted in traditional lyrics, with Lodhi providing both the vocals and music.

The recording itself remained remarkably uncomplicated. “I sang it on the tambura, recorded the vocals in the studio and came back,” Lodhi recalled.

There was one thing he didn't know at the time: his song was going to become part of a film. That film was Hanuman Ansh, written and directed by Vishal Chaturvedi.

When a Village Voice Reached the Big Screen

Inspired by the life and spiritual journey of Neem Karoli Baba, also known as Maharaj Ji, Hanuman Ansh revolves around devotion to Lord Hanuman. Released in theaters on August 7, the spiritual drama went on to become an unexpected box-office success. Made on a reported budget of ₹2 crore, the film has earned more than ₹45 crore in India, according to the figures cited in the source material.

And at its heart is a voice that began with a tambura in Bundelkhand. For Lodhi, devotional singing was never a calculated career move. It was something he had grown up doing. His physical limitations never stopped him from carrying his music to villages and, eventually, millions of screens.

And now, the voice that once echoed through local communities is reaching audiences across India.