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When American rap icon Snoop Dogg shared Malayalam indie hit Kalyani on his Instagram Story, it marked a milestone few independent regional tracks can claim. But for Arjun Sunil ( Arjn ), Kiran Das ( KDS ), Vishnu V ( Fifty4 ), Suhas Moideen and producer Ron Vinod (Ronn), the global spotlight is the latest chapter in an extraordinary journey. Released in November 2025 after being shelved for nearly three years, Kalyani went on to clock nearly 600,000 streams a day for months. Yet, alongside its soaring popularity, one question refused to go away: Who is Kalyani? The band has now answered it by reimagining the hit with additional vocals by Shreya Ghoshal and a music video starring actress Saniya Iyappan .

'The video has gone absolutely crazy after Snoop's repost'
"Our producer, Len Prasad, is friends with Snoop's son. He sent him the song, and Snoop reposted it. We're incredibly grateful. The video has gone absolutely crazy and is now close to 20 million views," says KDS.

'Shreya had heard the original and loved it'
The idea to re-record Kalyani with additional Hindi lyrics and Shreya Ghoshal's vocals came from a music producer, and the band embraced it immediately.

He terms the experience of working with the acclaimed singer "so much fun". "She's full of positive energy. She had already heard the song and loved it, so when the idea came up, she was immediately on board. The new Malayalam portions were written by Fifty4, while Pulkit Singh penned the Hindi lyrics. We helped Shreya with the Malayalam pronunciation," says Arjn.

'We wanted the visuals to feel rooted, so we chose a semi-traditional aesthetic'
The band was equally certain that Saniya Iyappan was the right choice to bring Kalyani to life. "Saniya has grace. She's beautiful, can dance and act. Casting her was a no-brainer, and she absolutely aced the video," says Arjn.

Rather than opting for a conventional performance or party video, the team wanted to tell a story with emotional weight and chose a gangster backdrop.

"We had a few ideas, and director Ben came in with a strong vision," says Arjn, "He shared a couple of mood boards with us, and we picked the one that resonated most. We wanted the visuals to feel rooted, so we went with a semi-traditional aesthetic for both the costumes and the locations."

'We're trying to change the narrative'
The band is now working on the music video for its latest release, Chillara Flex, directed by Rupan Bal, who has worked with several leading names in the Punjabi music industry.

"We don't really have a flex culture in Kerala. Malayalis are generally laid-back and don't like showing off," says KDS. "With this song, we're trying to change that narrative. It's about encouraging people to dream big, go all out and celebrate their achievements," he shares.


'Why can't Malayalam music be heard on the streets of Spain?'
The group believes Malayalam music is on the cusp of reaching a much wider global audience. "Malayalam songs are already making noise in North India. The next generation isn't confined to its roots anymore. People are proud of where they come from, but they're also open to exploring new things. We could be the next big thing. If Spanish songs can be heard on the streets of Kerala, why can't Malayalam songs be heard on the streets of Spain? I genuinely believe that's going to happen," signs off Arjn.