Ramu Rathod is a Banjara (Lambadi) folk singer, songwriter and dancer from Telangana. His roots are in Gopalapur (Khurd) Tanda, a small settlement in Bhutpur Mandal of Mahabubnagar district. Over the last couple of years he has gone from a village folk artist to a name that most Telugu music fans recognise.
Early Life
Rathod comes from the Banjara community, which has a long tradition of folk songs, dance and handmade instruments. He grew up around that culture, and it shapes everything he sings today. Online profiles disagree on where he is from. Some say Mahabubnagar, others say Nizamabad, and a few mention Hyderabad. The likeliest explanation is that his native village and the city where he works are being mixed up.
Age
His exact date of birth has not been published. Bigg Boss fan sites list him as 42 in some places and 45 in others, so it is safest to say he is in his early forties.
Wife and Family
There is no reliable public information about his wife or children. Rathod has not spoken much about his private life, and the few claims on fan pages are not backed by anything solid. If he shares details in an interview or on his own social media, this section can be updated.
Famous Songs
His biggest hit is “Ranu Bombai Ki Ranu”, released in 2025, which is reported to have crossed 500 million views on YouTube. Another song people often mention is “Sommasilli Pothunnave O Chinna Ramulamma”. He is also said to have won a GAMA award for Best Folk Song of the Year. His songs rely on simple, earthy lyrics and strong rhythm, and the Banjara dance steps made them easy to turn into reels, which helped them spread quickly.
Bigg Boss Telugu 9
In September 2025 Rathod entered the Bigg Boss Telugu Season 9 house. He reportedly became house captain once. He left the show in Week 9 after about two months, and some sources put his final position at 12th. Different websites give slightly different day counts, so those details should be treated as approximate. The show brought him a much bigger audience, including many viewers who had never followed folk music.
What to Expect in 2026
Rathod is part of a wider trend of independent folk songs finding huge audiences on YouTube and Instagram without any film backing. He has become one of the more visible faces of Lambadi culture in Telugu entertainment, and fans are waiting for his next release.
Quick Summary
Ramu Rathod is a Banjara folk singer and dancer from Mahabubnagar, Telangana. He is in his early forties, though his age is unconfirmed. He is best known for “Ranu Bombai Ki Ranu” and for appearing on Bigg Boss Telugu 9. No verified information on his wife is available.
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