We'll make us a new trend, baby!

March 3, 2019 5:08 PM

With the Tamil song Rowdy Baby reaching 270 million Youtube views in two months, it seems time it gets some notice in the West. The video features the popular actor Dhanush, who also wrote and sings the song, partnered with the burgeoning superstar Sai Pallavi, who's found an eager fanbase for her, thus far, limited roles.

Dhanush's 2011 song Why This Kolaveri Di was a massive hit (previously on Metafilter), credited with being the first Indian song to reach 100 Million views on Youtube. He's since made a number of other songs, mostly for movies he appears in, such as What a Karvaad, while also continuing to act and has recently turned to directing as well with Power Paandi.

Sai Pallavi has only appeared in seven films as an adult, but has drawn praise, awards, and a large following for her acting and dancing talents. The Telugu songs Vachinde, from the movie Fidaa, Yevandoi Nani Garu from the movie MCA (Middle Class Abbayi), and Padi Padi Leche from Padi Padi Leche Manasu are some of the few other examples of Pallavi's dancing in movies so far.

It also is worth noting that Rowdy Baby was choreographed by the inimitable Prabhu Deva. Deva's career is far too extensive to go into here, but I'll offer this light hearted promo song, Love, Love Me, he made for his next movie, Devi 2, as a bonus link.

posted by gusottertrout (13 comments total)

That is an impressive number of costume changes.
posted by Bee'sWing at 5:51 PM on March 3, 2019 [1 favorite]

Sai Pallavi also knocked out an MD at some point, right? Anyway, they're delightful. And I hope that viewcount might mean Bollywood will be getting some of the love that Western audiences are starting to show for Kpop.

Also, after that Love, Love Me video, did anyone else have an incredibly strong desire to put Deva in the same room with Taika Waititi just to see what happens?
posted by BlueBlueElectricBlue at 6:19 PM on March 3, 2019 [1 favorite]

Yes to Waititi, ALWAYS, and for some reason that song reminds me intensely of Something for the Weekend
posted by ivan ivanych samovar at 6:34 PM on March 3, 2019 [1 favorite]

Whoa she’s charismatic as hell
posted by schadenfrau at 8:00 PM on March 3, 2019 [2 favorites]

My favourite Prabhu Deva song from his youth (and mine, I suppose)
posted by infini at 9:33 PM on March 3, 2019 [2 favorites]

My favourite Prabhu Deva song from his youth (and mine, I suppose)

Did you happen to see the Chalmaar video? It has something of a callback to Chikku Bukku Rayile to it. It echoes some of the locations of the earlier video and once again has Deva face competition from his brother Raju for the woman he, um, chases (harasses really) but to a different end. (I was going to do a whole thing on Prabhu Deva, but with a number of his videos featuring that chase/harassment trope so common in the industry I just didn't think it should be a FPP even if it is a widespread convention.)

Anyway, the video that got me hooked on Deva was Mukkala Mukkabala, and since then I've tracked down pretty much every song he's worked on.
posted by gusottertrout at 11:03 PM on March 3, 2019 [1 favorite]

My favourite by Prabhu Deva is Kay Sera Sera from Pukar, in part, I suspect, because it has the inimitable Madhuri Dixit with him.
posted by Nieshka at 11:48 PM on March 3, 2019 [1 favorite]

Madhuri Dixit is fantastic. She also provides an example of Deva working at his best when you compare Dixit's number in Beta, Dhak Dhak Karne Laga (which is great), to the earlier Tamil version of the same song Deva choreographed for Sridevi and Chiranjeevi, Abbanee Tiyyani. Sridevi is amazing, but Deva let her down and Dixit's version is by far the better, even with the weak Anil Kapoor as a partner instead of Chiranjeevi. Having Saroj Khan as the choreographer for Beta and Deva just starting out maybe makes the comparison unfair, but Dixit kills it either way.
posted by gusottertrout at 12:21 AM on March 4, 2019 [2 favorites]

Today, we are all rowdy babies.
posted by ITheCosmos at 4:30 AM on March 4, 2019

Oops, I meant Deva not at his best in Abbanee Tiyyani.


Since it looks like this thread is now going to make any other on Deva redundant, I'll just add a few of the other video songs he's been in that people might enjoy.

Guleba If you're itching for a Latin music influenced "summer song"
Heartukulla
The Mercury Song For some Thriller-like horror fun
Go Go Govinda
Tutak Tutak Tutiya
Happy Hour
Vennilave Vennilave For your romantic ballad needs
Engeyum Kadhal
Urvasi Urvasi helped launch Deva to stardom
Metro Channel There's a reason Deva's called "The Michael Jackson of India"
Vadi Vadi Nattukatta
Arre Prem Ka Rasta
Romeo Attam Pota
Samba Samba
Nan Saltu Kottai Deva dances with his brother Raju
Netru Athu Unakku Deva dances with his father, master choreographer Mugur Sundar who is estimated to have choreographed over 10,000 movie dances
Chinna Rasave
Kutramulla No dancing just like the song
Chinna Chinna Little dancing here either
Hello Mr Kadhalaa

Then there's the weird:
Shiv Om from a 3D Harry Potter knock off
Bida Byada Bida The Youtube page calls it a "top romantic song" I don't wanna know for who
Mehabooba Probably romantic for people who go to this club. You tell me.

This doesn't include any of Deva's choreography for others or his songs he directed and leaves out a lot of other fun stuff, but it should provide a good idea of the nature of his fame.
posted by gusottertrout at 8:53 AM on March 4, 2019 [2 favorites]

Wow - I never heard of Sai Pallavi before, but she is amazing. So much star power - you just can't look away.
posted by Mchelly at 12:46 PM on March 4, 2019

This must be the first time that someone has stolen the limelight form Dhanush when it comes to dancing.
posted by amil at 12:07 AM on March 5, 2019 [1 favorite]

Damnit, I still have Rowdy Baby stuck in my head. I've listened to it a double-digit number of times. I'm also unhealthily star-struck by Sai Pallavi.
posted by Harald74 at 12:18 AM on March 6, 2019