Vedan Murali was born in Thrissur, Kerala. His mother is a Srilankan Tamil born in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, and later she migrated to Ooty, Tamil Nadu, before her marriage. Vedan’s father, Murali, is a Malayali born in Thrissur, Kerala. Vedan grew up in a cluster called Swapnabhoomi, near the Thrissur railway station in Thrissur, Kerala. He is a Malayalam rapper and songwriter renowned for his music that addresses issues like caste discrimination and social injustice. Growing up in Swapnabhoomi, a colony near the Thrissur railway station, Vedan was influenced by the struggles of his community, which is reflected in his stage name, meaning “hunter,” symbolizing his community’s historical role and their experiences of being marginalized .
He gained recognition with his debut music video “Voice of the Voiceless” in 2020, a powerful anti-caste anthem that resonated with many for its raw portrayal of societal inequalities. Following this, he released “Bhoomi Njan Vazhunidam” and “Vaa,” the latter being a call for unity among oppressed communities, released on Ambedkar Jayanti in 2021. Vedan’s contributions extend to Malayalam cinema, where he has worked as a lyricist and singer for films like “Nayattu” (2021), “No Way Out” (2022), and “Manjummel Boys” (2024) .
Despite his artistic achievements, Vedan has faced controversies, including allegations of sexual misconduct in 2021, to which he responded with an apology. In April 2025, he was arrested along with others for possession of cannabis, and authorities are investigating the authenticity of a tiger’s tooth found in his possession, which could lead to charges under wildlife protection laws. In 2021, Vedan was accused of sexual misconduct by a few women via a post that was shared on a Facebook page as part of the # MeToo movement.[8] He later responded to the allegations with an apology.
Palakkad Municipality councillor VS Minimol, who also serves as the chairperson of its development committee, has written to the Union Home Ministry and the National Investigation Agency (NIA), seeking action against the artist. She claimed that one of Vedan’s songs contains defamatory references to the Prime Minister and inflammatory language that could divide the Hindu community along caste lines. “The artist has made unsubstantiated, disrespectful and offensive remarks about the Prime Minister, which not only malign his personal and political image but also undermine the dignity of the highest constitutional office in the country,” Minimol stated in her complaint, which was filed two days ago.
With Kerala in poll mode, politics is swirling around the Dalit rapper in his 30s, whose controversial arrest in a ganja case has only added to his rising popularity. Vedan was the star of a show at a Left Democratic Front (LDF) event in Palakkad marking the fourth anniversary of its government
The drug menace in the Malayalam film industry has been making headlines for some time. Earlier this month, a case was filed against actor Shine Tom Chacko, who made a dramatic escape from a luxury hotel in Kochi when the DANSAF squad of the Kerala Police raided the hotel – CCTV footage of which received widespread media attention. Days later, two Malayalam directors, Khalid Rahman and Ashraf Hamsa, were arrested for possession of one and a half grams of drugs from a Kochi flat owned by fellow director Samir Tahir. Following this, Shine Tom Chacko and actor Sreenath Bhasi were questioned by the Excise Department regarding their possible connection to the Alappuzha Hybrid case, in which a woman was arrested for possessing hybrid cannabis. Malayalam rapper Vedan (Hirandas Murali) and eight members of his music troupe were arrested for possessing cannabis.
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