Kunal Ganjawala reveals ancestral history behind his surname; says, ‘We were licensed to grow marijuana'

Kunal Ganjawala

Singer Kunal Ganjawala recently surprised fans by revealing the lesser-known history behind his unusual surname. For years, listeners have associated “Ganjawala” with marijuana, often jokingly linking it to the Hindi word ganja.

But the singer has now clarified that the origin of his surname has a far deeper and historically significant backstory.

Speaking to Hindi Rush, Kunal explained that his community traditionally carries the surname Bhansali and belongs to the Balochi Hindu group whose ancestors lived in Balochistan. “My community’s surname is Bhansali.

Like filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, we are Balochi Hindus. Our ancestors lived in Balochistan, where one of the 52 Shakti Peeths, the Mahahinglaj Mata temple, still exists. People still go there for a pilgrimage,” he said, adding that folk musicians and even Sufi artists he collaborated with through Coke Studio have longstanding ties to the sacred site.

The most surprising revelation came when Kunal detailed his family’s work under British rule. “During British rule, our family was licensed to grow marijuana for medical purposes. This was our profession before 1942, before the Quit India Movement. We grew the crop and gave it to the government,” the singer shared. Because of this contribution, his ancestors were exempted from paying land tax and even received the prestigious Rao Saheb honour.

The crop they cultivated was used to make opium-based injections and other medicines for cancer patients across the British territories, including Afghanistan during undivided India. “Our family continued this work until the Quit India movement,” he added.

After Mahatma Gandhi encouraged Indians to support local products, the family gave up the marijuana business and shifted to manufacturing steel cupboards and safes in Mumbai’s Kalbadevi area. Their brand, Crown Steel, became one of the earliest makers of heavy-duty safes, and Kunal revealed that they even guided the iconic Godrej company in perfecting strong safe designs nearly 80 years ago.

The revelations sparked lively reactions online. One user recalled the old Bengali film Marutirtha Hinglaj, while another wrote, “Just a few days back, I was wondering how was his surname Ganjawala. Got my answer.” Many joked about finally finding closure, while one comment read, “But his voice really gives you nasha.”

Kunal Ganjawala, who has given Bollywood memorable tracks like Humdum Soniyo Re, Tauba Tauba, Dil Na Diya and the iconic Bheege Honth Tere, has now added yet another intriguing chapter to his public persona.