Chikiri Chikiri: Ram Charan Dances with Ease, Janhvi Kapoor Feels Lost in Translation

There’s something electric about a new Ram Charan song dropping. The man has rhythm in his bones, and when paired with the sonic brilliance of AR Rahman, expectations skyrocket. Chikiri Chikiri, sung by Mohit Chauhan, marks the first single from the Ram Charan Janhvi Kapoor starrer, and visually, it’s a treat. Real locations, saturated frames, and Rahman’s melodic mischief are all the right ingredients for a lively cinematic track.

From the first beat, you sense the playful chaos that defines Rahman’s lighter work — it instantly gives Tamasha’s “Matargashti” vibes. Ram Charan, thankfully, feels completely at home here. After the disappointment of seeing him dance through Ganesh Acharya’s jarring choreography in Game Changer, Chikiri Chikiri is a reminder of what makes him one of Indian cinema’s most effortless movers. The hook step, simple yet addictive, instantly takes you back to that Janab-e-Ali groove cheeky, rhythmic, and full of swagger.

Janhvi Kapoor: A Beautiful Mismatch

Now, here’s where things get complicated. Janhvi Kapoor’s presence in Chikni Chikni feels like an entirely different movie spliced into this one. While Ram Charan dances with ease among villagers and earthy backdrops, Janhvi’s visuals are filtered through a lens of glamour that borders on out-of-place. The sari adjustments, the slow-motion hair tosses, the midriff shots — none of this fits the song’s core energy. It’s not about being “sexy” or not — it’s about tone. When you have a fun, carefree village fair setup, cutting to glamour close-ups breaks immersion. It feels like the director couldn’t decide whether to shoot a folk celebration or a perfume ad.

And this has become a recurring problem in Janhvi’s filmography. There’s always a tug-of-war between her directors wanting to present her as the glamorous Kapoor daughter versus allowing her to inhabit her character organically. Here too, the attempt to merge sensuality with innocence feels half-hearted. You see flashes of mischief, but they’re drowned by aesthetic overkill.

What’s ironic is that Janhvi can do expressive, grounded performances — her eyes have natural mischief that could’ve matched the playfulness of the track. But instead, she’s stuck performing a character that’s been designed for thumbnails and Instagram reels, not storytelling.

Ram Charan’s Redemption Through Simplicity

Ram Charan’s dancing has always had that rare quality — he doesn’t “perform” the beat, he becomes it. There’s a looseness here, a genuine smile, and none of the over-choreographed stiffness that plagued his Game Changer  tracks. The frames feel lived-in, the locations real, the energy unmanufactured. When Telugu cinema gets dance right, it looks like this — rhythm meeting realism, emotion meeting groove. Chikni Chikni is an easy-breezy number that doesn’t try to be more than it is.

Final Thoughts

Chikni Chikni works best when it lets the music and movement breathe. The color palette is vibrant, the choreography smooth, and the vibe nostalgic yet fresh. But the decision to over-glamorize Janhvi Kapoor ends up feeling like an unnecessary distraction. It’s not her fault — it’s the direction that confuses spectacle with sensuality. For a song that had the potential to be one of this year’s most feel-good dance numbers, Chikni Chikni ends up being half pure joy, half misplaced gloss.

Aapke Sawal, Hamare Jawab! (FAQs)

1. Who sang the song “Chikiri Chikiri”?

The song is sung by Mohit Chauhan, with music composed by AR Rahman.

2. Which movie features the song “Chikiri Chikiri”? It’s the first single from the upcoming Ram Charan and Janhvi Kapoor film, directed by SS Rajamouli’s long-time collaborator.

3. Why is Janhvi Kapoor’s look being criticized in the song?

Fans feel her overly glamorized portrayal doesn’t match the earthy, playful tone of the song or Ram Charan’s casual village vibe.

4. How is Ram Charan’s performance in “Chikiri Chikiri”?

Effortless and charming. He redeems himself after the awkward choreography of Game Changer and nails the hook step.

5. What does “Chikiri Chikiri” remind viewers of?

It carries the spirit of Tamasha’s “Matargashti” — colorful, carefree, and driven by Rahman’s youthful rhythm.