New Delhi: Vishal, who is a self-taught singer, was taking a break from vocal practice before he recorded his new song. He was at the Aurobindo Art Centre with his friends, when he picked up the guitar and casually started singing Senorita, the popular song from Zoya Akhtar’s 2011 film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.
Vishal sang the song not in Hindi or Spanish but in Haryanvi, with a mild tweak. Senorita was changed to Babita – a household name among women in Haryana.
“We were just messing around. I hadn’t written the lyrics or practised them. I just sang on the spot while my friend recorded the video for fun,” 28-year-old Vishal Sharma told ThePrint. “I was practising for my new song and had taken a break to relax. It was my friend who insisted that I upload the video.”
Vishal uploaded the video on his Instagram account on 9 August, and by the next morning, the casual performance had turned into a viral moment. Vishal had become an internet sensation overnight. The video has now crossed one million views, drawing thousands of reactions online — including a comment from Farhan Akhtar, who rendered his voice to the original song.
“Haha.. Babita Rocks… Superb,” wrote Akhtar, a Bollywood actor-singer and filmmaker.
Soon, the followers on Vishal’s Instagram account, named Bodh Music, swelled. Earlier, he had 1,500 odd accounts following him. Now the number has risen by over five times to 8,000.
“I didn’t expect the song to go viral. It feels good. And I am hopeful that those visiting my account will also explore the music I have been creating,” said Sharma.
Who is Vishal Sharma?
Vishal hails from Gurugram. His mother is from Haryana, while his father is from Rajasthan. And he wear his “desi roots” on his sleeve.
Before diving into the world of music, Vishal completed his graduation and masters in Forensic Science. But he didn’t pursue it professionally.
“I left Forensics three years ago and started doing music. It was difficult to convince my parents. But I realised that I always wanted to do music,” says Sharma.
A day after he uploaded the video, his parents started getting messages from relatives saying that their son’s song is everywhere. “My parents were really happy,” Sharma said.
Vishal’s next project is a political satire in Haryanvi with country music. He says he wants to make contemporary folk music in Haryanvi.
“I am happy that the song went viral. But fame is not the thing I am seeking. I want people to discover my music and enjoy it. That would mean the world to me,” said Vishal, while describing himself as a “go-with-the-flow” person.
Prem Yatra
Before Vishal’s song became viral, he was on a creative journey. He travelled to Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, along with his friend, who goes by the name ‘Zindagi Mubarak’.
The idea was simple: travel across India, district by district; and in each district, give a child a ukulele.
Last year, Vishal and his friend covered 13 districts of Uttarakhand, conducting music workshops for young children. They named the trip, ‘Prem Yatra’.
“Prem Yatra was to travel across the country and remind people that creativity does not need much,” said Vishal. But the Yatra had to stop as they were short of funds.
“We would busk on the streets, play music and meet people along the way. It was a pay-as you-wish model and that would fuel our travelling journey,” he says. Vishal hopes to continue the journey soon after his new music is out.
Now, with Vishal all over the internet, a new demand has emerged: the people want him to sing the full Senorita song in Haryanavi. “Pura gaana chahye ab toh chhore!” read a comment on his video.
(Edited by Aakriti Handa)