Vizag youth overcomes adversities, achieves singing success

At just 23, Bathini Sri Sai Sanvid Kirankumar carries a journey marked by adversity, resilience, and an unwavering belief in the power of his own voice. Born in the fishing community of Jalaripet, Visakhapatnam, he lost both his parents Appala Raju and Sarada within a span of one year when he was only 14. The youngest of four siblings, he received little support from his family to continue his education, forcing him to fend for himself at a young age.

Adding to his struggles was his feminine voice, which became a source of ridicule from friends and family. The emotional trauma led him to attempt suicide twice. “I did menial jobs, even labour work, just to survive. In 2018, I decided to take a forward step,” he told The Hindu. With only ₹2,000, he travelled to Hyderabad to pursue his childhood dream of becoming a singer.

In Hyderabad, he initially stayed at a hostel in SR Nagar but soon ran out of money. He spent nights at bus stops and hospital waiting halls at the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) and MNJ Cancer Hospital, surviving without proper food, battling loneliness, insecurity, and fear about his voice. A turning point came when a compassionate woman noticed him and began sharing her meals. With her help, he secured a housekeeping job and moved back to a hostel.

“I don’t know her name or anything about her. She was an attendant for a cancer patient. After I achieved success, I tried to trace her but couldn’t,” he recalls.

His artistic journey began when he discovered Smule and StarMaker, platforms that valued talent over identity. Alongside working in an event management company, he earned ₹1,000 per show singing at events. Encouragement from short-film music director Kanna Sri Raghavendra led to his first dubbing opportunity, opening doors to voice work in serials, films, and web series.

A major breakthrough came when noted music director Raghu Kunche offered him his first playback opportunity in the 2022 film Batch. His songs are now available onSpotify, JioSaavn, and other platforms.

From Abhishekam to the horror film Chandika, and web series such as Mythili, Mayuka Abhimanyu, Dear Meghana, and Anati Nundi Ee Nativaraku, his voice reached wider audiences.

He also dubbed for actresses like Nitya, Nakshithra, and even Samantha, earning widespread recognition.

His rising popularity eventually led him to the prestigious musical stage of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa. Without any influence, he secured his place purely on merit. His first performance received high scores and praise, marking a proud milestone. Though later disqualified for not having a classical foundation, he saw it not as rejection but as motivation. “It reminded me that talent must be refined with knowledge,” he says.

Today, Sai Sanvid has written over 30 songs, performs regularly at stage shows, and earns a stable income through music and dubbing. Far from the days of sleeping at bus stops, he now pursues a Diploma in Music, determined to strengthen his foundation and rise higher in the world of music and voice artistry.

(The writer Gouthami Paltati is an intern at The Hindu in Visakhapatnam)