The first single from Ram Charan-Janhvi Kapoor starrer Peddi, 'Chikiri chikiri' has become an instant hit. Besides going viral in reels courtesy its dance moves, the audience also began searching for the man behind its catchy lyrics — Balaji. The 'Chikiri Chikiri' lyricist is not new to the Telugu film industry, though. It has been a long journey that began 16 years ago under the guidance of Sukumar.

Hailing from Therlam town in the Vizianagaram district, Balaji found an interest in writing in school days. “I was interested in writing poetry since then. Whenever I witnessed an incident or something unusual, I used to write about it in my diary. That’s how my passion for writing grew,” says Balaji. After completing his post-graduation from Andhra University and later pursuing a hardware course, Balaji began his professional career in Guntur, followed by a stint in Secunderabad. “After working there for a while, I requested a transfer to Vishakhapatnam so I could be with my parents,” he adds. His father passed away in 2005, and two years later, in 2007, Balaji moved to Hyderabad.

Recalling that phase and how it carved a path to cinema, Balaji says, “My friends encouraged my poetry, and I decided to try my luck in Telugu films. I didn’t know anyone, nor did I know how to write a film song, but I began trying. Through some acquaintances, I met Sukumar, who gave me my first opportunity with Arya 2,” says Balaji, who wrote the hit song ‘Uppenantha’ for the 2009 film.

Balaji then worked on several projects if different magnitudes, including Katthi, Mr. Perfect, Soggade Chinni Nayana, Bangarraju, and Duvvada Jagannadham. The song ‘Emandoy Nani Garu’ from MCA (starring Nani and Sai Pallavi) became a big hit in 2017. He also wrote all the songs for Kiran Abbavaram’s Meter.

Balaji's association with Peddi director Buchi Babu Sana started with the latter's directorial debut, Uppena. "Buchi Babu asked me to write a song for Uppena, but it didn’t work out at that time. Later, he called me for Peddi and asked me to write the ‘Chikiri Chikiri’ song,” says Balaji.

The song, which has turned out to be an instant hit, is composed by maestro AR Rahman. “It was cool working with Rahman garu. He is always down-to-earth. Despite being such a global name, his behavior and the way he interacts are very simple. He never acts like a big star,” shares Balaji about his experience, adding, “We went to meet him around 7pm, and the session continued till morning. It was a dream come true. Working with Rahman garu and sitting next to the great SP Balasubrahmanyam garu during a TV show are two unforgettable experiences for me as a lyricist,” says Balaji.

Further recalling his interactions with Rahman, Balaji notes, “Rahman speaks a little Telugu but mostly communicates in Tamil, English, and Hindi. He expresses clearly what he wants, and once the words fit his tunes, he finalises them. He doesn’t put any pressure on lyric writers.”

When asked about the frequent use of English words in Telugu lyrics these days, Balaji explains, “It depends on the subject of the film. If it’s a family drama set in a village backdrop, the director usually asks for completely Telugu lyrics. For some modern films, the director wants to include a few English or Hindi words. If we write only in pure Telugu, the current generation may not relate to it, so we add some catchy words,” he says.

Coming to Peddi, Balaji shares that Ram Charan’s character has roots in the Uttarandhra region, so most of the words in ‘Chikiri Chikiri’ carry that regional accent. “I always keep the actor and his image in mind when writing a song,” Balaji notes.

Now, the lyricist is entirely focusing on writing. “I quit my job a few years ago to concentrate completely on my work as a lyricist,” says Balaji. As for upcoming projects, he is currently working on The Paradise starring Nani, a film featuring Dulquer Salmaan, and a few other big projects.