Hoopr’s Indie trio powers Hindi cinema debut with Saali Mohabbat

Hoopr, Saali Mohabbat, Tisca Chopra, Jio Studios, Stage5 Production, Zee5, Gaurav Dagaonkar, Abhimanyu Jha, Anirudh Bhola, Atul Kumar Verma, A R Rahman, Meghna Mittal.

MUMBAI: Hoopr has struck its first big note in Hindi cinema with Saali Mohabbat, a soulful original track built entirely by talent discovered on its music licensing platform. The song features in Tisca Chopra’s directorial debut of the same name, produced by Jio Studios and Stage5 Production, and streaming on Zee5 from 12 December.

In a rare moment for Hindi cinema, a film now carries the name of a track made by independent artists whose vocals, composition and lyrics all came through a digital creator network rather than a major label. The makers were reportedly so taken by the song that they rechristened the film after hearing it.

At the heart of the track is Hoopr co-founder and CEO Gaurav Dagaonkar teaming with lyricist Abhimanyu Jha. The duo, both IIM Ahmedabad alumni, shaped the song with vocalist Anirudh Bhola and composer Atul Kumar Verma. Their collaboration blends warm vocals, contemporary production and tight storytelling to heighten the film’s emotional arc.

Bhola brings recognisable Hindi cinema credentials from films like Sanam Re, Kites and Krrish 3, along with a fan base built on his popular “Tera Nasha” and A. R. Rahman tribute shows. Verma adds his versatility as a singer, composer and lyricist with work spread across Hindi cinema, OTT and indie releases. Jha, an IIT Madras and IIM Ahmedabad graduate, novelist and fintech founder, supplies the lyrical texture.

All three artists have been part of Hoopr’s 1,500-strong indie community for over three years.

Dagaonkar said the milestone signals a shift in how film music gets made. He noted that opportunities in Hindi cinema have traditionally gone to artists backed by major labels, but platforms like Hoopr are creating a more open pipeline for filmmakers searching for fresh voices. He added that the title change was a moment of validation that showed how deeply the song resonated with the team.

Co-founder Meghna Mittal called Saali Mohabbat a showcase of what the platform can do end to end, from scouting the right artists to shaping a soundtrack that fits a director’s brief while still bringing new ideas from across India’s indie scene.

With this debut, Hoopr has placed a new marker in the industry. The platform’s bet is clear: independent musicians, given the right stage, can slip into the heart of mainstream storytelling and stay there.