Ranu Mariah Mandal used to sing regularly on a railway platform in West Bengal's Ranaghat railway station in Nadia district. Recently, a video clip of the old woman crooning 'Ek pyaar ka nagma hai, maujon ki ravaani hai' (the popular Hindi song) went viral on social media. The viral video caught the attention of the prominent playback singer and music director Shankar Mahadevan, who launched a talent hunt to locate her.

After getting her details, Mahadevan's team contacted her and prepared her for a thorough Bollywood debut. Ranu has been made-up to look fashionable.

"This is nothing but destiny. Till the other day, nobody knew Ranu and, a few days later, she became an Internet star in West Bengal. And today, the Hindi film industry has beckoned her," says an observer.