# A Career-Ending Hand Injury Turned This Punjab Ranji Bowler Into a Chart-Topping Singer

> Former Punjab Ranji Trophy bowler Hardy Sandhu gave up cricket after a serious hand injury in 2007 and went on to become a hit singer and Bollywood actor.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Entertainment · **Published:** 2026-09-05 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/entertainment/hatha-ki-chota-ne-chhina-kriketa-ka-sapana-phira-gane-se-badali-hardy-sandhu-ki-takadira-28346 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Hardy Sandhu, cricket to singing, Soch song, Titliaan song, 83 movie, Punjabi singer

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.

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## 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.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. When and where was Hardy Sandhu born?
He was born on September 6, 1986, into a Sikh family in Patiala, Punjab.

### 2. What is Hardy Sandhu's real name?
His full name is Hardavinder Singh Sandhu.

### 3. What did Hardy Sandhu do before singing?
He was a fast bowler who played at the under-17 and under-19 levels and also played Ranji Trophy cricket for Punjab.

### 4. Why did he leave cricket?
He had to give up cricket after suffering a serious hand injury in 2007.

### 5. Which song launched Hardy Sandhu's singing career?
He began his singing career in 2012 with 'Tequila Shot'.

### 6. When did he become widely popular?
He gained massive popularity after 'Soch' released in 2013 and 'Joker' in 2014.

### 7. When did he make his Bollywood debut?
He made his Bollywood debut in 2021 with the film '83', playing former cricketer Madan Lal.

### 8. Who is Hardy Sandhu's wife?
His wife, Zenith Sidhu, is a model and actress, and the couple has two children.

## Inspiration & Lessons
Hardy Sandhu's journey shows how a career-ending setback can become the start of something bigger.

- **Don't let a setback define you:** Instead of being broken by the hand injury, he pulled himself out of mental stress and chose a completely new direction.
- **Have the courage to start over:** Moving from cricket straight into music was not an easy jump, yet he began in 2012 even though his first single didn't bring big recognition.
- **Keep going after an early miss:** Despite _Tequila Shot_ not making him widely known, he persisted, and just a year later _Soch_ turned him into a star.
- **Don't limit yourself to one field:** After establishing himself as a singer, he also tried acting and reached Bollywood by 2021.

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