Long before he became one of Punjabi and Hindi music's most recognisable voices, Hardy Sandhu was gearing up to bowl on a cricket field. Born on September 6, 1986, into a Sikh family in Patiala, Punjab, the singer's full name is Hardavinder Singh Sandhu. His father, Jaswir Singh Sandhu, and mother, Balbir Kaur, raised him alongside an elder brother.
From the bowling crease to a career-altering injury
Few fans realise that before he ever picked up a microphone, Sandhu was a fast bowler who represented his side at the under-17 and under-19 levels and later played Ranji Trophy cricket for Punjab. That trajectory changed in 2007, when a serious hand injury forced him to give up the sport for good. The setback left him dealing with prolonged mental stress, but he eventually pulled himself together and chose to explore a field entirely removed from cricket.
Finding his voice
Sandhu's music journey began in 2012 with the release of Tequila Shot, a track that found listeners but did not bring him widespread recognition. The real breakthrough arrived in 2013 with Soch, followed a year later by Joker in 2014, both of which turned him into an overnight sensation and won him enormous public affection. From there, he delivered a string of chart-topping singles and started acting in his own music videos, further building his fan base. Tracks such as Backbone, Kya Baat Ay, Bijlee Bijlee, Horn Blow, Naah and Titliaan rank among his biggest hits. He has also lent his voice to songs featured in several Bollywood films.
The leap to acting
On screen, Sandhu's acting career began in 2014 with the Punjabi film Yaaran Da Katchup. Seven years later, in 2021, he made his Bollywood debut with 83, playing former cricketer Madan Lal, a casting choice many saw as a fitting nod to his own cricketing past. He has since appeared in Hindi and Punjabi films including Code Name: Tiranga and Maahi NRI.
Family life
Away from his career, Sandhu is married to Zenith Sidhu, a model and actress, and the couple has two children. His path from a Ranji Trophy bowler to a chart-topping singer and Bollywood actor shows how a career-ending setback can, with persistence, open the door to an entirely new one.
