Rowdy Baby

{{short description|2018 single from Maari 2 by Yuvan Shankar Raja}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Rowdy Baby

| cover = Rowdy Baby.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Celebration poster (Ft. Dhanush and Sai Pallavi) for the song after reached 1.5+ billion views on YouTube

| type = single

| artist = Yuvan Shankar Raja (composer) and Dhanush, Dhee (performer)

| album = Maari 2

| language = Tamil

| released = 28 November 2018

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = *Filmi

| length = 4:44 min

| label = Wunderbar Studios
Divo

| writer =

| composer = Yuvan Shankar Raja

| lyricist = Dhanush

| producer = Dhanush

|tracks=| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|x6Q7c9RyMzk|"Rowdy Baby"}}|type=song}}

}}

"Rowdy Baby" is a Tamil language song composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja for the soundtrack of the 2018 action comedy film Maari 2. Starring Dhanush and Sai Pallavi, and sung by Dhanush alongside Dhee.{{Cite news |date=28 November 2018 |title=Dhanush-Sai Pallavi's peppy song 'Rowdy Baby' from 'Maari 2' out—Watch |work=Zee News India |url=https://zeenews.india.com/regional/dhanush-sai-pallavis-peppy-song-rowdy-baby-from-maari-2-out-watch-2159457.html |access-date=17 August 2020 |archive-date=3 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203024050/https://zeenews.india.com/regional/dhanush-sai-pallavis-peppy-song-rowdy-baby-from-maari-2-out-watch-2159457.html |url-status=live }} The song was officially released on 28 November 2018 as a single from the film.{{Cite news |date=20 December 2018 |title='Maari 2' song 'Rowdy Baby': Makers release the first track from the film |language=en |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/music/maari-2-makers-release-the-first-track-rowdy-baby-from-the-film/articleshow/66840964.cms |access-date=2020-06-27}}

Upon release, the song went viral and became very popular,{{Cite magazine |date=26 April 2019 |title=India's Music Industry Charts Its Future as It Eyes Bigger Share of Global Market |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/8508729/india-official-music-chart-streaming-radio-imi-launch |magazine=Billboard |access-date=24 April 2020 |archive-date=21 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200621152508/https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/8508729/india-official-music-chart-streaming-radio-imi-launch |url-status=live }} and its music video, released in January 2019, featuring the film's lead pair Dhanush and Sai Pallavi, broke several YouTube records, becoming one of the most viewed Indian songs of all-time.{{Cite web |title=Yuvan's Rowdy Baby song from Maari 2 sets big records |url=https://www.moviecrow.com/News/22275/yuvans-rowdy-baby-song-from-maari-2-sets-big-records |website=Moviecrow |access-date=21 November 2019 |archive-date=29 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200329102236/https://www.moviecrow.com/News/22275/yuvans-rowdy-baby-song-from-maari-2-sets-big-records |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last=Kumar |first=Pradeep |date=19 October 2019 |title='Verithanam' and 'Rowdy Baby' most streamed songs by Tamil music fans |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/verithanam-and-rowdy-baby-most-streamed-songs-by-tamil-music-fans/article29744084.ece |access-date=21 November 2019 |archive-date=27 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191027005002/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/verithanam-and-rowdy-baby-most-streamed-songs-by-tamil-music-fans/article29744084.ece |url-status=live }} Billboard listed the song in the Global Top 10 Music Videos of 2019.{{Cite magazine |title=Daddy Yankee, Lil Nas X Had YouTube's Most-Watched Music Videos of 2019 |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/streaming/8545448/youtube-music-most-watched-daddy-yankee-lil-nas-x |magazine=Billboard |access-date=15 December 2019 |archive-date=16 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216002535/https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/streaming/8545448/youtube-music-most-watched-daddy-yankee-lil-nas-x |url-status=live }} According to YouTube Top Trending Music Videos, Rowdy Baby was the most streamed Indian video of 2019 and the seventh most globally.{{Cite news |date=6 December 2019 |title=Maari 2's Rowdy Baby with Dhanush and Sai Pallavi tops 2019 YouTube list in India |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/maari-2s-rowdy-baby-with-dhanush-and-sai-pallavi-tops-2019-youtube-list-in-india/article30214018.ece |access-date=11 December 2019 |archive-date=11 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191211072402/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/maari-2s-rowdy-baby-with-dhanush-and-sai-pallavi-tops-2019-youtube-list-in-india/article30214018.ece |url-status=live }} As of 10 January 2025, the views on YouTube crossed 1.7+ billion views (combining both video and lyrical), making it the only South Indian (and Tamil) cinema song on YouTube to achieve this feat. Also it's Telugu version has 78 million views (both video and lyrical). This is one of the most-viewed Indian video on YouTube.

Music video

The video see the film's lead pair, Dhanush and Sai Pallavi dancing to the tune in a set at the AVM studios in Chennai. Prabhu Deva was assigned to choreograph the song {{Cite web |title=Sai Pallavi on working with Prabhudheva in Maari 2: Life blesses you with something better |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/sai-pallavi-on-working-with-prabhudheva-in-maari-2-life-blesses-you-with-something-better-1422519-2019-01-03 |website=India Today |access-date=21 November 2019 |archive-date=1 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200701112255/https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/sai-pallavi-on-working-with-prabhudheva-in-maari-2-life-blesses-you-with-something-better-1422519-2019-01-03 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=2 March 2019 |title=Here's what went behind making the chartbuster Rowdy Baby |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/here-what-went-behind-making-chartbuster-rowdy-baby-5607956/ |access-date=22 January 2020 |archive-date=18 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200618193143/https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/here-what-went-behind-making-chartbuster-rowdy-baby-5607956/ |url-status=live }} along with Jani Master.{{Cite web |title=NTR, Ram Charan' choreographer turned assistant for Maari 2 |url=http://www.ntvtelugu.com/post/ntr-ram-charan-choreographer-turned-assistant-for-maari-2 |website=NTV Telugu |access-date=24 April 2020 |archive-date=12 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180812032407/http://www.ntvtelugu.com/post/ntr-ram-charan-choreographer-turned-assistant-for-maari-2 |url-status=dead }} Sai Pallavi, who had participated in a dance reality TV show called Ungalil Yaar Adutha Prabhudeva ({{translation|Who of you is going to be the next Prabhudeva?}}) 10 years before and was eliminated in the semi-finals, failing to meet him,{{Cite web |title=Maari 2 press meet: Sai Pallavi and Prabhu Deva go back a long way |url=https://www.in.com/entertainment/regional/maari-2-press-meet-sai-pallavi-and-prabhu-deva-go-back-a-long-way-268873.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181219115339/https://www.in.com/entertainment/regional/maari-2-press-meet-sai-pallavi-and-prabhu-deva-go-back-a-long-way-268873.htm |archive-date=2018-12-19 |website=in.com}} later recalled that through this song, she was eventually able to meet and work with Prabhu Deva, sharing a picture taken on the sets, which coincidentally was the same sets where the show had been shot before.{{Cite web |date=3 January 2019 |title='Rowdy Baby' Sai Pallavi's photo with Prabhudeva on sets of dance show goes viral |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/rowdy-baby-sai-pallavis-photo-prabhudeva-sets-dance-show-goes-viral-94412 |access-date=2020-06-27 |website=thenewsminute.com |archive-date=18 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200618100830/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/rowdy-baby-sai-pallavis-photo-prabhudeva-sets-dance-show-goes-viral-94412 |url-status=live }} The video was uploaded on 12 January 2019 on YouTube, and had achieved lot of views due to its choreography and picturisation.{{Cite web |date=9 January 2019 |title=In love with Sai Pallavi's dance in 'Rowdy Baby'? These videos are for you! |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/love-sai-pallavis-dance-rowdy-baby-these-videos-are-you-94740 |website=The News Minute |access-date=21 November 2019 |archive-date=1 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200701053608/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/love-sai-pallavis-dance-rowdy-baby-these-videos-are-you-94740 |url-status=live }}

Reception

= Critical response =

"Rowdy Baby" was listed as one of the year's best Tamil songs by musicaloud.com,{{Cite web |date=30 December 2018 |title=Music Aloud Playback – Best Songs of 2018! |url=https://www.musicaloud.com/2018/12/30/music-aloud-playback-best-songs-of-2018/ |access-date=22 January 2020 |archive-date=18 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200618114705/https://www.musicaloud.com/2018/12/30/music-aloud-playback-best-songs-of-2018/ |url-status=live }} and in the Top 10 Tamil songs of November on Film Companion by Karthik Srinivasan,{{Cite web |last=Srinivasan |first=Karthik |date=3 December 2018 |title=Top 10 Tamil Songs Of November |url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/Vpw1h |access-date=2023-05-05 |website=Film Companion}}{{cbignore}} who called it a "fantastic song, with a swinging African-style guitar and funky singing by Dhanush and Dhee".{{Cite web |date=2 December 2018 |title=Milliblog Weeklies – DEC02.2018 by Milliblog! |url=https://milliblog.com/2018/12/02/milliblog-weeklies-dec02-2018/ |access-date=22 January 2020 |archive-date=15 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190915142259/http://milliblog.com/2018/12/02/milliblog-weeklies-dec02-2018/ |url-status=live }} Aarthi Murali of Silverscreen stated the song to be "cheeky, stupid, and of the best kind".{{Cite web |date=28 November 2018 |title=Rowdy Baby Lyric Video Review: The Good Kind Of Silly Stupid Love |url=https://silverscreen.in/reviews/rowdy-baby-lyric-video-review-the-good-kind-of-silly-stupid-love/ |website=Silverscreen}}{{dead link|date=February 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

=Performance and records=

The music video became a viral phenomenon upon release, breaking several YouTube records. Besides being the second fastest South Indian as well as Tamil language video to reach 100 million views in 17 days (Arabic Kuthu being the first in 12 days),{{Cite web |date=20 January 2019 |title=100 million views in just 16 days, Rowdy Baby sets new record |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/100-million-views-just-16-days-sai-pallavi-dhanush-s-rowdy-baby-sets-new-record-95351 |access-date=2020-06-27 |website=newsminute.com |archive-date=18 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200618140515/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/100-million-views-just-16-days-sai-pallavi-dhanush-s-rowdy-baby-sets-new-record-95351 |url-status=live }} it was also the first to cross 200 million views.{{Cite news |date=14 February 2019 |title='Rowdy Baby' notches up 200 million YouTube views |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/rowdy-baby-notches-up-200-million-youtube-views/article26262193.ece |access-date=21 November 2019 |archive-date=1 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200101150106/https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/rowdy-baby-notches-up-200-million-youtube-views/article26262193.ece |url-status=live }} On 8 February 2019, it crossed 179 million views, beating Dhanush's previous viral hit "Why This Kolaveri Di" to become the most viewed Tamil song,{{Cite web |date=February 8, 2019 |title=Rowdy Baby beats Kolaveri Di, becomes most watched Tamil song on YouTube |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/rowdy-baby-beats-kolaveri-di-becomes-most-watched-tamil-song-on-youtube-1451117-2019-02-08 |website=India Today |access-date=22 January 2020 |archive-date=1 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200701105628/https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/rowdy-baby-beats-kolaveri-di-becomes-most-watched-tamil-song-on-youtube-1451117-2019-02-08 |url-status=live }} before beating "{{Cite web |title=Sai Pallavi's 'Rowdy Baby' beats 'Vachinde' on YouTube! |url=https://www.sify.com/movies/sai-pallavi-s-rowdy-baby-beats-vachinde-on-youtube-imagegallery-kollywood-tcloRQfbdgdbf.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212030434/http://www.sify.com/movies/sai-pallavi-s-rowdy-baby-beats-vachinde-on-youtube-imagegallery-kollywood-tcloRQfbdgdbf.html |archive-date=12 February 2019 |website=Sify}} In August 2019, it was said to be the "first Tamil song to cross 500 million views".{{Cite web |title=Dhanush-Sai Pallavi's Rowdy Baby becomes first Tamil song to cross 600 million views on YouTube |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/dhanush-sai-pallavi-s-rowdy-baby-becomes-first-south-indian-song-to-cross-900-million-views-on-youtube-1580378-2019-08-13 |website=India Today}} On 16 November 2020, it crossed 1 billion views to become the first Tamil film song to achieve this feat.{{Cite web |title=Rowdy Baby hits 700M views |url=https://m.dailyhunt.in/news/india/english/industry+hit+english-epaper-indhiten/rowdy+baby+hits+700m+views-newsid-148102164 |website=Dailyhunt}}

It was one of the two most streamed songs on JioSaavn.

Awards and nominations

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
style="width:20%;"\|Ceremony !style="width:10%;"\|Year !style="width:30%;"\|Category !style="width:25%;"\|Recipients !style="width:5%;"\|Result
scope="row" rowspan="3"\|Filmfare Awards South{{Cite web \|title=Winners of the 66th Filmfare Awards (South) 2019 \|url=https://www.filmfare.com/news/bollywood/winners-of-the-66th-filmfare-awards-south-2019_-38163.html \|website=Filmfare \|access-date=6 October 2020 \|archive-date=22 December 2019 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191222020917/https://www.filmfare.com/news/bollywood/winners-of-the-66th-filmfare-awards-south-2019_-38163.html \|url-status=live }}{{Cite web \|date=13 December 2019 \|title=Nominations for the 66th Filmfare Awards (South) 2019 \|url=https://www.filmfare.com/features/nominations-for-the-66th-filmfare-awards-south-2019_-37931.html \|website=Filmfare \|access-date=6 October 2020 \|archive-date=12 December 2019 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191212141500/https://www.filmfare.com/features/nominations-for-the-66th-filmfare-awards-south-2019_-37931.html \|url-status=live }} \|rowspan="3"\|2019 \|Best Choreography \|rowspan="1"\|Prabhu Deva & Jani Master \|{{won}}
Best Male Playback Singer – Tamil \|rowspan="1"\|Dhanush \|{{nom}}
Best Female Playback Singer – Tamil \|rowspan="1"\|Dhee \|{{nom}}
scope="row" rowspan="1"\|South Indian International Movie Awards{{Cite news \|date=17 August 2018 \|title=SIIMA Awards: 'Sudani from Nigeria' wins Best Film, Trisha bags two awards \|work=The News Minute \|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/siima-awards-sudani-nigeria-wins-best-film-trisha-bags-two-awards-107365 \|access-date=5 September 2019 \|archive-date=28 January 2022 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220128154644/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/siima-awards-sudani-nigeria-wins-best-film-trisha-bags-two-awards-107365 \|url-status=live }} \|rowspan="1"\|2019 \|Best Female Playback Singer \|rowspan="1"\|Dhee \|{{won}}
scope="row" rowspan="1"\|Zee Cine Awards Tamil{{Cite web \|date=5 January 2020 \|title=Zee Cine Awards Tamil 2020: The complete winners list \|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/zee-cine-awards-tamil-2020-winners-list-dhanush-kamal-haasan-samantha-akkineni-nayanthara-6200402/ \|access-date=22 January 2020 \|archive-date=3 February 2020 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200203053415/https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/zee-cine-awards-tamil-2020-winners-list-dhanush-kamal-haasan-samantha-akkineni-nayanthara-6200402/ \|url-status=live }} \|rowspan="1"\|2020 \|Best Choreographer \|rowspan="1"\|Prabhu Deva \|{{won}}
scope="row" rowspan="1" \| Behindwoods Gold Medals{{cite news \|title=Behindwoods Gold Medals 2022 – The Award Moments \|url=https://m.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/event-photos-pictures-stills/behindwooods-gold-medals-2022-the-award-moments/awarding-moment-photos-behindwoods-gold-medals-2022-stills-photos-pictures-523.html \|access-date=2024-08-03 \|work=Behindwoods }} \|2022 \|Best Song of the Decade \|Yuvan Shankar Raja \|{{Won}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

style="width:20%;"|Ceremony

!style="width:10%;"|Year

!style="width:30%;"|Category

!style="width:25%;"|Recipients

!style="width:5%;"|Result

scope="row" rowspan="3"|Filmfare Awards South{{Cite web |title=Winners of the 66th Filmfare Awards (South) 2019 |url=https://www.filmfare.com/news/bollywood/winners-of-the-66th-filmfare-awards-south-2019_-38163.html |website=Filmfare |access-date=6 October 2020 |archive-date=22 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191222020917/https://www.filmfare.com/news/bollywood/winners-of-the-66th-filmfare-awards-south-2019_-38163.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=13 December 2019 |title=Nominations for the 66th Filmfare Awards (South) 2019 |url=https://www.filmfare.com/features/nominations-for-the-66th-filmfare-awards-south-2019_-37931.html |website=Filmfare |access-date=6 October 2020 |archive-date=12 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191212141500/https://www.filmfare.com/features/nominations-for-the-66th-filmfare-awards-south-2019_-37931.html |url-status=live }}

|rowspan="3"|2019

|Best Choreography

|rowspan="1"|Prabhu Deva & Jani Master

|{{won}}

Best Male Playback Singer – Tamil

|rowspan="1"|Dhanush

|{{nom}}

Best Female Playback Singer – Tamil

|rowspan="1"|Dhee

|{{nom}}

scope="row" rowspan="1"|South Indian International Movie Awards{{Cite news |date=17 August 2018 |title=SIIMA Awards: 'Sudani from Nigeria' wins Best Film, Trisha bags two awards |work=The News Minute |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/siima-awards-sudani-nigeria-wins-best-film-trisha-bags-two-awards-107365 |access-date=5 September 2019 |archive-date=28 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220128154644/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/siima-awards-sudani-nigeria-wins-best-film-trisha-bags-two-awards-107365 |url-status=live }}

|rowspan="1"|2019

|Best Female Playback Singer

|rowspan="1"|Dhee

|{{won}}

scope="row" rowspan="1"|Zee Cine Awards Tamil{{Cite web |date=5 January 2020 |title=Zee Cine Awards Tamil 2020: The complete winners list |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/zee-cine-awards-tamil-2020-winners-list-dhanush-kamal-haasan-samantha-akkineni-nayanthara-6200402/ |access-date=22 January 2020 |archive-date=3 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200203053415/https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/zee-cine-awards-tamil-2020-winners-list-dhanush-kamal-haasan-samantha-akkineni-nayanthara-6200402/ |url-status=live }}

|rowspan="1"|2020

|Best Choreographer

|rowspan="1"|Prabhu Deva

|{{won}}

scope="row" rowspan="1" | Behindwoods Gold Medals{{cite news |title=Behindwoods Gold Medals 2022 – The Award Moments |url=https://m.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/event-photos-pictures-stills/behindwooods-gold-medals-2022-the-award-moments/awarding-moment-photos-behindwoods-gold-medals-2022-stills-photos-pictures-523.html |access-date=2024-08-03 |work=Behindwoods }}

|2022

|Best Song of the Decade

|Yuvan Shankar Raja

|{{Won}}

References

External links

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6Q7c9RyMzk Rowdy Baby (video song)] on YouTube
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nauk_scj9U Rowdy Baby (lyric video)] on YouTube

Category:2018 songs

Category:Indian songs

Category:Songs in Tamil

Category:Songs written for Tamil films

Category:Songs written by Dhanush

Category:Songs with music by Yuvan Shankar Raja