Sai Abhyankar, the young composer who was once mocked and dismissed as an over-hyped newcomer, has now become one of the most talked-about names in South Indian music. Even before making his proper debut, he had already lined up major films including the Allu Arjun–Atlee project, Suriya’s Karuppu and Karthi’s Marshal. Although Balti marked his official first release, it was Pradeep Ranganathan’s Dude that placed him under the spotlight. The moment the first single Oorum Blood dropped, it faced heavy negativity. Many listeners criticised the track and questioned Sai’s talent, suggesting he didn’t deserve the big projects he had signed.

The perception slowly began shifting after Dude hit theatres. Viewers started appreciating the background score and described the songs as slow poisons that grow on you with time. But the real game-changer arrived after the film’s OTT premiere last week. Overnight, hundreds of social media edits began surfacing, all set to Sai Abhyankar’s original Oorum Blood score. Its universal appeal and catchy layers made it the perfect audio for fan edits, scene recreations and montage videos. People who initially trolled the music suddenly began praising it, calling Sai a refreshing new-age composer.

The interval BGM, a reworked version of Oorum Blood, became the highlight of this viral wave. Fans started syncing the score with iconic scenes from various films, proving its versatility. These videos spread widely across platforms, turning the BGM into a trend. The renewed attention pushed the original video song back into the spotlight, helping Oorum Blood cross an impressive 100 million views on YouTube. The sudden turnaround has surprised even Sai Abhyankar, who faced intense criticism during the song’s initial release.

This viral response has given the young composer a massive confidence boost as he works on some of the biggest films in South Indian cinema. Audiences are now eagerly waiting to see how Sai Abhyankar channels this momentum into his upcoming projects, marking a remarkable journey from being trolled to becoming a trendsetter.