Meet Menuka Paudel, the Indian Idol singer who moved Ranbir Kapoor to touch her feet

Menuka Paudel talks about her journey from rural Nepal to Indian Idol’s top 10, navigating the challenges of blindness, and her spiritual approach to music

When we met Menuka Paudel, 26, she was sitting in her plush hotel room, a plate of food covered on the table and a glass of juice by her side. She had just finished rehearsing with a Bengaluru-based band led by Rudolph David, former bassist of Thermal and a Quarter. Despite a busy schedule at the 12th edition of the India Inclusion Summit, held in Bengaluru on November 16 and 17, she was hardly tired, her smile unwavering. Music, she says, energises her. 

Raised in Jhapa, Nepal, Menuka’s early life was steeped in melody. At a hostel for the blind, she discovered music almost by chance. “There were musical instruments — harmonium, tabla,” she recalls. “We used to wake up at 4 am and do riyaaz. I started listening to music when I was 5 or 6, following my seniors during bhajans.” These humble beginnings led to a lifelong relationship with music, shaped by devotional songs and the teachings of her first music teacher from Darjeeling. 

Music was never a choice — it was a calling. “My life is in music,” she says. Even as a child, her performances were marked by an unshakable faith. “When I sing, I feel like God is right in front of me. Music chose me.” This spiritual connection fuels her artistry, turning every performance into an act of devotion, whether she’s singing Asha Bhosle’s playful ‘Paan Khaye Saiyan Hamarao’ or the hauntingly profound Lata Mangeshkar song ‘O Paalanhaare’ from Lagaan. 

Menuka’s path has been far from conventional. She participated in Nepal Idol at 19, followed by Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, and most recently, Indian Idol, where she reached the top 10 and became famous. Her Indian Idol journey, however, was fraught with challenges, from learning Hindi to navigating the competitive rigour of reality TV. “Learning Hindi songs was tough but beautiful,” she said. Her perseverance paid off; her rendition of ‘O Paalanhaare’ moved judge Shreya Ghoshal to tears, and Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor touched her feet in reverence after she sang ‘Agar Tum Saath Ho’ from his film Tamaasha. 

Her understanding of music has evolved over time. “For example, take the song ‘Jaane kya baat hai. Neend nahi aati. Badhi lambi raat hai’ (I wonder what it is. I can’t sleep. The night feels so long) from the film Sunny. As a kid, I didn’t know what the song meant. I just heard it and tried to replicate it. Now, I can watch the film to understand the song better. I can sing as that character, which makes a huge difference to the song.” 

“It’s not true that a blind person can’t be popular,” she says, addressing the stereotypes that often accompany disability. Through her appearances on mainstream platforms, she has shown that talent knows no bounds. Her ability to connect with audiences, whether on a competition stage or during live performances, has made her an inspiring personality — something she is shy to admit. 

Menuka recently realised her dream of playback singing with Salaar after its composer, Ravi Basrur, saw her perform in Indian Idol. She sang ‘Sooraj Hi Chhaon Banke’ in the Hindi version of the film. “It was my dream to sing playback,” she says. But recording the song was no easy feat.