THE TRUE-BLUE BOY - DARSHAN RAVAL

From competing with emerging talents to fighting off deep-rooted nepotism in Bollywood singer-actor Darshan Raval inspires thousands.

Music has the exceptional power to evoke pure connections and to transcend your mind into an imaginative world. One such paradox can be witnessed while listening to the soothing voice of Darshan Raval. With 3.6 million subscribers on a popular video channel and 15.8 million followers on his social media account, Raval has soulfully made his abode in the people's hearts. A down to-earth person and heartthrob of a million girls, the singer-composer-songwriter-actor has his name engraved in the hall of fame. Raval is the young voice behind several euphonic songs and is recognised as one of India's most popular, new-generation male singers. As the master of independent song albums, his melodious voice is quickly recognisable by anyone.

The Unknown Star

Despite being an outsider commonly known as somebody with no blood ties to the music industry, Raval made his way forward with sheer dedication and hard work. Born on October 18th 1994, in a typical Gujarati family, he is Rajendra Raval and Rajal Raval's only child. His primitive schooling was completed at Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul, Ahmedabad. Rooting from a creative background, Raval was always inclined toward music. His father, who was a writer by profession and passion, wanted him to become an engineer and do wonders in the academic stream.

Contrary to this, the multifaceted singer faced difficulty attaining excellence in his studies; he was even expelled from college due to poor performance. Without any professional training to play any musical instrument, the singer learnt to strum the guitar through online uploaded content. In retrospect, Raval recalls how his friends and close ones always told him to recognise his talent and pushed him towards pursuing his dreams. Confused, conflicted and disheartened, Raval recognised his musical consciousness and started aspiring for his dream career.