Rahul journeys from Manghalhat gallis to LA’s glittering world

Rahul Sipligunj's rise from the labyrinthine bylanes of Manghalhat to the glittering glamour world of Hollywood in the heart of Los Angeles has not been easy.

Sipligunj, the son of a barber, who had his moment of glory at the Oscar ceremony, was always fascinated by the world of cinema, and his parents recognised his exceptional singing skill at a young age.

"It was a wonderful surprise for us, my wife and I were ecstatic. We never expected that his song reaching there would be a big deal for us. We have been receiving calls from relatives and friends with congratulatory messages. We have planned a big celebration as soon as Rahul returns, It’s a big moment for our family and friends," said Sipligunj's father, S. Rajkumar, who owns the hair and beauty salon, Sai Kiran Stylists, in Abids.

"Rahul used to sing when he was in Class 7. Gis lovely voice took me by surprise. My client was Pandit Vithal Rao, a well-known Hindustani vocalist and ghazal singer. Rahul got his vocal training from Vithal Rao, and today he has paid his respects to his guru by singing such a wonderful song ‘Naatu Naatu’ which has become a global rage,” Rajkumar told Deccan Chronicle.

“He has been hard working since his childhood. He enjoys watching movies and singing songs. Due to my busy schedule, I rarely took children to movies, and they would watch them on television,” he recalled.

Sipligunj's mother Sudha Rani is a homemaker; his younger brother Nikhil works in the United States. His’s sister Shreya Priya is married.

Sipligunj finished his education at Loyola High School in Vijayanagar Colony. "I used to drop him and pick him up every day. After he passed his Class 7, we bought him a cycle, and from then on he used to travel by himself. Rahul spent his entire life in Mangalhat; we moved to Jubilee Hills a few years ago, and he still sees all of his childhood friends,” Rajkumar said.