Guru Randhawa turns 35 today, August 30, and his journey is one of the more remarkable success stories to emerge from India’s independent music scene. Born Gursharanjot Singh Randhawa in Noorpur in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district, the singer-songwriter did not begin with the machinery of Bollywood behind him. He started with small performances in his hometown before moving to Delhi, where he continued performing at parties and functions while pursuing his MBA.
What followed was a steady climb that eventually took Punjabi pop far beyond its traditional audience.
How did Guru Randhawa begin his music career?
Before Lahore and High Rated Gabru became streaming giants, Randhawa was trying to find his place in the music industry. His early work included the song Same Girl, while his association with rapper Bohemia also proved important to his journey. Bohemia reportedly shortened Gursharanjot Singh Randhawa’s name to “Guru”, giving the singer the stage name that would eventually become synonymous with Punjabi pop.
His breakthrough began to take shape with songs such as Patola, which featured Bohemia. The track helped bring him greater visibility and paved the way for his entry into Bollywood.
When did ‘Lahore’ and ‘High Rated Gabru’ change his career?
The real turning point came with High Rated Gabru and Lahore. Both songs became enormous digital hits, with their official T-Series videos eventually crossing the billion-view mark. Lahore, released in 2017, also travelled beyond India and became one of the defining Punjabi pop songs of the decade.
Randhawa subsequently entered Bollywood with Suit Suit, which was recreated for Irrfan Khan and Saba Qamar’s Hindi Medium. He went on to contribute songs to films including Tumhari Sulu, Simran and Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety.
How did Guru Randhawa take Punjabi pop global?
Randhawa’s ambitions soon moved beyond the Indian music industry. In 2019, he collaborated with international rapper Pitbull on Slowly Slowly. The song reportedly crossed 38 million YouTube views within its first 24 hours. He later worked with British singer Jay Sean on Surma Surma. For Randhawa, that global reach was also personal. In an earlier interview, he spoke about wanting to represent his village, Punjab and India internationally through his music.
From small stages in Gurdaspur to billion-view songs, Bollywood chartbusters and collaborations with international artists, Guru Randhawa has built a sound that travelled well beyond its Punjabi roots. His birthday is therefore less about one hit and more about the remarkable journey that turned a local performer into a global Indian pop name.