BrandonGreenlee at 02:19, 2 March 2026

2026-03-02T02:19:20Z

New page

{{Short description|Indian singer known for viral song "Kacha Badam"}}
{{AI-generated|date=February 2026|reason=since v1 from Nov 2025; note [[WP:AISIGNS]] in superficial analyses, vocab distribution typical of 2025 LLMs, etc}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2025}}

'''Bhuban Badyakar''' (born c. 1971) is an Indian singer and street vendor from Kuraljuri village in the [[Birbhum district]] of [[West Bengal]], India. He rose to national and international prominence in 2022 after his self-composed song ''Kacha Badam'' (meaning "raw peanuts") went viral on social media platforms.

==Early life and background==
Badyakar lived in modest circumstances in Kuraljuri village, Lakshminarayanpur Panchayat, Birbhum district. Before gaining recognition, he sold peanuts on his bicycle across nearby villages, earning about ₹200–250 per day. To attract customers, he composed and performed a catchy jingle that later became known as "Kacha Badam".<ref name="Sentinel">{{cite news |title=Meet Bhuban Badyakar, the man behind viral song 'Kacha Badam' |url=https://www.sentinelassam.com/more-news/entertainment/bollywood/meet-bhuban-badyakar-the-man-behind-viral-song-kaccha-badam-576329 |work=The Sentinel Assam |date=3 February 2022 |access-date=6 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-28 |title=Rollercoaster ride of 'Kacha Badam' fame Bhuban Badyakar as good days return - CNBC TV18 |url=https://www.cnbctv18.com/entertainment/kacha-badam-fame-bhuban-badyakar-ups-and-downs-good-days-return-18666871.htm |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=CNBCTV18 |language=en}}</ref>

==Breakthrough with "Kacha Badam"==
In early 2022, a video showing Badyakar singing while cycling through villages was uploaded to [[YouTube]] and quickly spread across social media. The song, remixed by music producers, inspired dance trends and memes across [[India]] and beyond. It was praised for its simple rhythm and authenticity, which captured the spontaneity of folk street music.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bhuban Badyakar {{!}} Music Department, Actor, Composer |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm13326941/ |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="IndiaToday1">{{cite news |title='Kacha Badam' singer Bhuban Badyakar hospitalised after car accident in West Bengal's Birbhum |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/trending-news/story/kacha-badam-singer-bhuban-badyakar-hospitalised-after-car-accident-in-west-bengal-s-birbhum-1919066-2022-02-28 |work=India Today |date=28 February 2022 |access-date=6 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=How Kacha Badam conquered the world |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/how-kacha-badam-conquered-the-world/articleshow/89543639.cms |access-date=2025-11-03 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>

==Recognition and developments==
Following the viral success, Badyakar was felicitated by the [[West Bengal Police]] in February 2022 for his musical contribution and for representing the local culture of Birbhum.<ref name="IndiaToday2">{{cite news |title='Kacha Badam' singer Bhuban Badyakar felicitated by West Bengal Police |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/trending-news/story/kacha-badam-singer-bhuban-badyakar-felicitated-by-west-bengal-police-1911468-2022-02-10 |work=India Today |date=10 February 2022 |access-date=6 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-02-11 |title='Kacha Badam' singer Bhuban Badyakar felicitated by West Bengal police - BusinessToday |url=https://www.businesstoday.in/trending/entertainment/story/kacha-badam-singer-bhuban-badyakar-felicitated-by-west-bengal-police-322287-2022-02-11 |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=Business Today |language=en}}</ref> He later recorded a follow-up track titled ''Amar Notun Gari'' ("My New Car") after recovering from a minor car accident in 2022.<ref name="IndiaToday3">{{cite news |title='Kacha Badam' singer Bhuban Badyakar records new song after accident |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/kacha-badam-singer-bhuban-badyakar-records-new-song-after-accident-1921080-2022-03-05 |work=India Today |date=5 March 2022 |access-date=6 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Watch: 'Kacha Badam' fame Bhuban Badyakar explains his accident through a new song |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/trending/watch-kacha-badam-fame-bhuban-badyakar-explains-his-accident-through-a-new-song-375391/ |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=The Tribune |language=en}}</ref>

==Challenges and copyright issues==
Badyakar's sudden fame led to disputes regarding the ownership and copyright of "Kacha Badam". Media outlets reported that he initially did not receive royalties for the use of his composition in remixes and performances. Legal and music industry experts later highlighted his case as an example of how unregistered folk creators may lose rights to viral content in the digital era.<ref name="Glamsham">{{cite news |title=Why 'Kacha Badam' singer Bhuban Badyakar can't sing his own song |url=https://glamsham.com/music/music-news/kacha-badam-singer-bhuban-cant-sing-his-own-song-because-of-copyright-issues |work=Glamsham |date=7 March 2023 |access-date=6 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title='Kacha Badam' singer Bhuban can't sing his own song because of copyright issues |url=https://www.imdb.com/news/ni63984626/ |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Tewari |first=Swagita Pandey |date=2022-02-23 |title=BADAM BADAM A DADA KACHA BADAM – A TRAGIC MUSIC RIGHT INFRINGEMENT OF A PEANUT HAWKER |url=https://www.theippress.com/2022/02/23/badam-badam-a-dada-kacha-badam-a-tragic-music-right-infringement-of-a-peanut-hawker/ |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=The IP Press |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Impact and significance==
Badyakar's rise from a rural street vendor to an Internet sensation is frequently cited as a modern example of how social media can elevate grassroots folk art to mainstream attention.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-10-16 |title=Remember Kacha Badam singer Bhuban Badyakar? He's moved from a small hut to a new home, enjoying fame despite betrayal |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/remember-kacha-badam-singer-bhuban-badyakar-hes-moved-from-a-small-hut-to-a-new-home-enjoying-fame-despite-betrayal/articleshow/124609917.cms |access-date=2025-11-04 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Remember Kacha Badam Singer Bhuban Badyakar? His Recent Video Shows Him Dancing To The Viral Song With Candid Steps |url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/viral/remember-kacha-badam-singer-bhuban-badyakar-his-recent-video-shows-him-dancing-to-the-viral-song-with-candid-steps |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=Free Press Journal |language=en}}</ref> His story has been covered widely by Indian and international outlets, inspiring discussions on digital fame, folk culture, and representation of marginalised artists.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-12-31 |title=2022 viral videos: Six social media moments that charmed Indians |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-64062203 |access-date=2025-11-03 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dutta |first=Debashree |date=2022-02-19 |title="Kacha Badam" by Bhuban Badyakar Transcends Borders |url=https://rollingstoneindia.com/kacha-badam-by-bhuban-badyakar-transcends-borders/ |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=Rolling Stone India |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Badyakar lives with his wife, two sons, and a daughter in Kuraljuri village. Despite fame, he continues to perform at local events and has expressed pride in his village roots and folk identity.<ref name="Sentinel"/>

==See also==
* [[Music of West Bengal|Folk music of Bengal]]
* [[Viral video]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Bhuban+Badyakar Bhuban Badyakar performances on YouTube]
* [https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/kachabadam/ #KachaBadam on Instagram]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Badyakar, Bhuban}}
[[Category:Indian folk singers]]
[[Category:People from Birbhum district]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1971 births]]
[[Category:Singers from West Bengal]]
[[Category:Bengali-language singers]]
[[Category:Indian male singers]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian singers]]
[[Category:Indian composers]]
[[Category:Indian buskers]]

Bhuban Badyakar - Revision history

BrandonGreenlee at 02:19, 2 March 2026