Gully Boy inspired me, God guided me & music changed my life: Dharmik

For Madhusudhan Sharma aka Dharmik , rap is more than music — it’s his ode to Hyderabad. In chaste Dakhni , he tells the stories of the streets he grew up on, the markets he knows, and the everyday rhythms that give the city its soul. His Hyderabad is a world away from the sleek, modern Hitech City; instead, his songs offer a window into the laid-back quirks of the Old City. Dharmik’s rhymes bend humour and heart. When he decrees, “ Hyderabadi jidhar jaate udhar maut daale and sukka khana kon khate jab khane mein biryani,” it’s with a tongue-in-cheek grin that’s hard to resist. And when he declares “ Asli Hyderabadi, kaldi bhairi kanpatti pe,” it’s with a swagger that’s unmistakably his own. Flaunting Dakhni laced with street slang and pride, he’s carved out his own lane in India’s hip-hop scene. In a chat with us, the 25-year-old rapper dishes out the story of his rise from Begum Bazar streets to becoming the William Shakespeare of Dakhni Rap .

‘I chose the name ‘Dharmik’ to honour the Almighty’
Before he became the face of Dakhni rap, life was far from easy. Between 2015 and 2018, he struggled to find a job and make ends meet, turning to prayer as his anchor in uncertain times. It was during this period that he discovered Gully Boy , a story of grit and ambition that spoke to him and inspired him to take the plunge. Talking about how the name Dharmik came about and his signature tilak, he says, “It’s called the Thakur ji charan tilak. For me, it’s more than just a style; it’s a symbol of faith and identity. I’ve always been spiritually inclined and constantly been praying. Life was tough, and I really needed to earn. At that point, God was my only hope. I asked him to show me a path, and that’s when I watched Gully Boy. I connected with it deeply. That film opened the door to music for me, and everything changed from there.”


‘ Paach laakh baarah is my identity and I carry it with pride’
Dharmik’s musical journey began with six digits — 500012. The Begum Bazar pincode that shaped his childhood became the title of his debut track, Paach Laakh Baarah, in 2019, marking the start of his journey. He wears it as a locket, carrying it as a badge of pride. “It was my father’s way of telling the pin code of Begum Bazar, where we live. It became the title of my first song in 2019, marking a pivotal moment in my life, and it represents my identity,” he explains.


‘Representing my city at MTV Hustle meant a lot’
Dharmik’s big break came with MTV Hustle 4, where he finished as one of the runners-up and truly arrived on the national stage. “Hustle was something I always wanted to be part of. Representing my city on that stage meant a lot,” he says. The high-pressure competition, he recalls, sharpened his craft and gave him confidence. “Performing in front of legends like Raftaar, Ikka Singh, and Raja Kumari was incredible. I was nervous, but I kept reminding myself, this was my shot. I had to own it.”

What is Dakhni?
Meaning “of the Deccan,” Dakhni is a regional variant of Urdu infused with Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, and Persian. It emerged in the 14th century when the Delhi Sultanate’s capital moved to Daulatabad, blending northern Hindustani with local speech. Its Hyderabadi dialect stands out for playful slang like hao (yes), nakko (no), and kaiku (why), giving the city’s streets, markets, and conversations a lively, unmistakable voice. Once the language of poets and traders, Dakhni today reflects the Deccan’s culture, humour, and everyday life. Often mistaken for Urdu or “Hyderabadi Hindi,” it has a history and identity all its own.

- Biswajit Talukdar