Krithika smiled. She handed the wireless microphone back to the DJ, who was standing directly behind his massive electronic console on the wooden stage.
She turned around, lifted the heavy, embroidered hem of her deep green lehenga slightly with both hands, and prepared to walk down the short wooden stairs to return to her seat in the front row.
She did not make it to the stairs.
Before Krithika could take her first step downward, five women rushed past the front row of velvet sofas and intercepted her. Anjali ran up the right side of the wooden stairs. Sneha and Priya flanked the left side. Kavya and Riya, completely blocked the center path, standing side-by-side.
"Wait," Anjali said, holding her right hand up like a traffic cop. "Do not go down."
"I finished my song," Krithika said, clearly confused by the sudden blockade. "I am going back to my seat."
"No, you are staying right here," Sneha instructed firmly. She stepped forward, placed her hands on Krithika's shoulders, and gently pushed Krithika back toward the exact center of the stage.
Krithika protested, shaking her head, but the girls completely ignored her. Anjali turned and pointed directly at Siddanth, who was sitting comfortably on the front row sofa.
"You too," Anjali commanded. "Up here."
Siddanth raised an eyebrow. He looked at Sameer, who was grinning wildly and holding his megaphone. Siddanth stood up from the sofa and walked up the short wooden stairs.
The girls quickly escorted Siddanth to the center of the stage, positioning him directly facing Krithika. Once the couple was in place, the five girls stepped back into a wide, coordinated semi-circle around them.
Anjali turned her head and gave the DJ a sharp, decisive nod.
The DJ slammed his hand down on the primary fader of his console.
The song "Vachinde" from the movie Fidaa instantly exploded through the massive speaker stacks. The heavy, infectious beat reverberated through the thick floorboards of the stage and echoed off the towering Kakatiya walls.
The crowd immediately recognized the track. The entire courtyard erupted into cheers.
The five girls immediately launched into their highly practiced, energetic choreography.
VachindeMella Mellaga Vachinde…(He arrived... slowly he arrived...)
Cream Bisket Uu Esinde(He worked his flattery like cream biscuits)
Gammuga Kursoniyade..Kuduruga Nilusoniyade…(He won't let you stay calm or steady...)
The girls dropped their shoulders simultaneously. They bent their knees and jumped lightly on their left feet, kicking their right heels out sharply to the side in perfect, rehearsed sync.
Anjali danced closest to Krithika. She grinned widely, twisting her wrists near her face. She stepped forward and swept her right arm in a wide, precise circular motion across the wooden floor, perfectly mimicking the traditional act of drawing a rangoli in front of a house. The others followed her lead instantly. Their heavy silk and georgette lehengas flared out as they circled Krithika playfully, teasing her.
Siddanth stood in the center, his hands clasped behind his back, watching the ambush with amusement. Krithika covered her mouth, laughing as her sister circled her.
Sanna Sannaga Navvinde(He threw a sweet little smile...)
Kunuke Gayam Jeshinde(He gave you sleepless nights...)
Mudde Notiki PokundaMasth Disturb Jesindee…(He keeps hunger away by disturbing you a lot...)
The girls bent forward at the waist in unison, sweeping their arms low to the ground. Then, right on the heavy snare beat, they popped back up with sharp hip sways and rapid shoulder shakes.
Sneha and Priya stepped inward. They pointed their index fingers playfully at Krithika while performing extremely quick foot-tapping steps. Their facial expressions perfectly matched the lyrics, acting as if they were warning Krithika about the sleepless nights and constant butterflies Siddanth was causing her. They danced with loving, highly mischievous smiles, completely owning the stage.
Pilla Renukaa…Pilagadochindee..(Hey girl Renuka, your man has come!)
Dinner Annade..Date Uu Annadee..(He said dinner, he said date...)
The five girls spun in fast, full circles. Their heavy lehengas bloomed outward like flowers catching the wind. They stopped spinning and instantly formed a tighter ring around Krithika. They pulled her gently into their formation while executing synchronized hand gestures. They extended one hand forward, as if holding someone's hand, and then twisted their bodies dramatically backward, physically demonstrating how Siddanth had turned her world completely topsy-turvy.
Yelu PattiPolu Tirigi..Ninnu Ulta Seedha Chesindey(He held your hand, turned you around, and completely flipped your world...)
Anjali grabbed Krithika's right hand and spun her once. All five girls continued the bouncy heel-kick steps and rapid wrist rolls. They danced with exaggerated, playful pushes and pulls, surrounding Krithika with joyful, relentless energy. The entire physical performance was designed as advisory banter: He has completely swept you off your feet!
VachindeMella Mellaga Vachinde…Cream Bisket Uu EsindeGammuga Kursoniyade..Kuduruga Nilusoniyade…
Sanna Sannaga NavvindeKunuke Gayam JeshindeMudde Notiki PokundaMasth Disturb Jesindee…
The chorus hit. The girls repeated the wide rangoli arm sweeps and rapid shoulder rolls with even more vigor. They hopped backward in a tight circle, keeping Krithika perfectly framed in the center. Their faces glowed with intense sisterly affection under the bright yellow stage lights.
In the audience, Yuvraj Singh was banging his hands on his knees in time with the heavy beat. Sameer had completely abandoned his chair and was standing near the edge of the stage, recording the entire ambush on his phone.
Pilla Renukaa…Pilagadochindee..Vachindeeeeee….
The DJ seamlessly transitioned the track into the bridge. The beat shifted, becoming faster and more aggressive.
Magavallu Masth ChaluMagavallu Masth Chalu..Magavallu Masth ChaaluMaska Koduthu Untare(Guys are too much, they keep flattering...)
Nuvu Yennapoosa LekkaKarigithe Anthe Sangathee(If you melt like butter, that's the situation...)
The girls performed rapid shoulder rolls and fast foot-tapping sequences while circling Krithika again.
Anjali stopped in front of Krithika. She pointed her finger directly at her younger sister with an exaggerated, playful warning expression. She physically acted out the firm sisterly advice: He will keep flattering you with all this charm, but do not melt like butter—if you melt too easily, it is all over! The other four girls nodded vigorously in agreement. They danced with exaggerated "stay strong" gestures, holding their hands up like shields, mixing teasing banter with deep protective love.
O Sari Sare AntuO Sari Sorry AntuMaintainee Nuvve Jesthe Life Antha Padiuntadee…(Sometimes say okay, sometimes say no... if you maintain him nicely, for lifetime he will follow you...)
The five girls raised their hands high into the air. They executed light, joyful jumps, landing directly into the signature bouncy folk steps.
VachindeMella Mellaga Vachinde…
The chorus repeated with full, exhausting energy. The girls did not miss a single beat. They were sweating slightly under the stage lights, but their smiles never dropped.
Then came the final, defining stanza of the song. The tempo slowed down for a fraction of a second before kicking back in.
Aya Baboi Entha PodugoAya Baboi Entha PodugooAya Baboi Entha PodugoooMudhulu Letta Ichudee(Oh wow, how tall he is... how to give sweet kisses...)
The five girls immediately stopped bouncing. They leaned forward with highly exaggerated, teasing expressions. They looked entirely up at Siddanth's towering frame. Then they looked back down at Krithika.
The girls danced with curious, incredibly playful gestures. They pretended to measure Siddanth's height by stacking their hands in the air, looking at the massive height difference between the him and Krithika. They then made kissing motions in the air, physically acting out the question.
The crowd roared. Rohit Sharma clapped his hands repeatedly, laughing at the audacity of the choreography.
Paruvale Nadum Patti,,Paiketthi Mudde Pette..Techniques Ye NakunayilePareshaane Neekakarleeeeee….(Don't worry, Holding the waist, lifting and giving kisses... his techniques are unmatched, no worries for you...)
The girls dropped into lower stances. They executed lightning-fast footwork, rolling their wrists and shoulders energetically to match the rising crescendo of the music.
Siddanth, who had been standing perfectly still with his hands behind his back for the entire performance, suddenly moved.
He waited for the snare hit. Perfectly in rhythm with the beat, Siddanth stepped forward. He reached out and gently pulled Krithika by her waist. He lifted her slightly off the wooden floorboards and gave her a quick, playful kiss directly on the cheek.
Krithika gasped, completely caught off guard. She laughed out loud and immediately beat him lightly on the shoulder with her fist in mock protest. Her face glowed with embarrassment and joy.
The five girls cheered loudly on the stage, jumping up and down, celebrating the perfectly executed sweet moment.
In the audience, the noise was deafening. Dhawan put two fingers in his mouth and whistled sharply. Virat and Sameer were shouting. Even Rajamouli and Sachin were laughing and clapping at the flawless execution of the stage performance.
The song built back into the final, explosive chorus.
VachindeMella Mellaga Vachinde…Cream Bisket Uu EsindeGammuga Kursoniyade..Kuduruga Nilusoniyade…
Sanna Sannaga NavvindeKunuke Gayam JeshindeMudde Notiki PokundaMasth Disturb Jesindee…
Pilla Renukaa…Pilagadochindee..Vachindeeeeee….Dinner Annade..Date Uu Annadee..
Yelu PattiPolu Tirigi..Ninnu Ulta Seedha Chesindey
VachindeMella Mellaga Vachinde…
Krithika, now fully recovered from the ambush and caught up entirely in the joy of the moment, stopped protesting. She joined her sister Anjali and the rest of the girls in the choreography. She mirrored their heel kicks, the wide rangoli sweeps, the spins, and the sharp shoulder shakes, executing the steps perfectly despite her heavy lehenga.
Siddanth anchored the center of the group with athletic precision. He did not attempt the complex folk steps, but he clapped in rhythm, turning to watch Krithika and her friends command the space.
The girls' dance remained a vibrant, highly energetic, loving advisory performance.
The heavy beat of Vachinde finally tapered off. The music stopped, and the stage immediately filled with the sound of the girls catching their breath and laughing.
Krithika stood in the center of the formation, breathing heavily, her hands resting on her knees. Her sister, Anjali, gave her a high-five, while Kavya and Riya leaned against each other for support. The exertion of the continuous steps had taken its toll, but they were all smiling widely.
Deva looked at Krithika, offering a smile. He had stood perfectly still in the center of the stage throughout the final chorus, simply watching her match her sister's energy.
"Any more ambushes planned for tonight?" Deva asked quietly.
Krithika wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. She stood up straight and adjusted the heavy embroidered dupatta draped over her shoulder. "I don't think so. But you handled that perfectly."
He offered her his hand. She took it, and they turned to walk down the short wooden stairs back to their seats in the front row.
"Stop right there!"
Sameer's voice, amplified to an ear-piercing volume through the plastic megaphone, echoed violently through the Kakatiya courtyard.
Deva stopped on the first wooden step. He turned his head slowly.
Instantly, Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, Ravindra Jadeja, Arjun, and Feroz rushed the stage from the right side of the courtyard. They did not walk; they sprinted. They bypassed the wooden stairs entirely, placing their hands on the edge of the four-foot-high stage and vaulting up onto the wooden floorboards.
Before Deva could even react or pull his hand away from Krithika, Jadeja and Sameer reached him. Jadeja grabbed Deva's left arm firmly above the elbow. Sameer grabbed his right arm.
"Hey," Deva said, firmly planting his feet.
"Too late, Sid," Jadeja grunted, pulling hard.
They physically pulled Deva away from Krithika. Given Deva's size and strength, it took the combined effort of Jadeja, Sameer, and Feroz pushing from behind to actually move him. They dragged him backward into the exact center of the stage.
The girls, realizing what was happening, instantly backed away toward the edge of the stage, laughing loudly and pointing at the incoming cricketers.
"Secure the perimeter!" Sameer yelled into the megaphone, tossing it onto the DJ console before running back to the group.
The DJ, who was clearly in on the ambush, hit the play button on his laptop. The familiar, highly energetic, rhythmic beat of "Vaddura Sodara" from the movie Manmadhudu blared through the massive speakers.
The crowd immediately recognized the iconic anti-marriage anthem.
The six boys—Virat, Dhawan, Jadeja, Sameer, Arjun, and Feroz—formed a tight, closed circle around Deva. They trapped him entirely inside their formation.
Deva stood in the center. He did not try to break out. He crossed his arms over his chest, planted his feet shoulder-width apart, and looked at his friends with a deadpan expression.
The boys launched into their synchronized, heavily practiced footwork.
Haaa... Aaaa... Sabhash...!!
sagamapaaa.neepaa mapagaa
ree.saneepaa mapaneeee saaa
The classical opening notes played out. The boys stepped forward with their right feet, pulled back, and stepped forward with their left. They moved in perfect unison, a testament to hours of secret practice in their hotel rooms.
They stopped stepping and pointed their index fingers directly at Deva, standing in the center. They shook their heads in unison, their faces twisting into expressions of dramatic pity.
Rey vaddura sodara
arey pellante noorella mantara
(Hey brother don't do it... marriage is a hundred-year spell...)
Aagara badhara
nuv vellelli gothilo padoddura rey
(Don't get trapped in that hellhole, brother...)
vaddura sodara arey pellante
noorella mantara
Aagara badhara
nuv vellelli gothilo padoddu ra
They stepped side-to-side, sliding their feet across the wooden floorboards. They wagged their fingers at him aggressively, moving to the fast, rhythmic beat of the song.
In the audience, Subba Rao, Krithika's father, leaned back in his chair and laughed out loud at the audacity of the lyrics being performed right in front of him. Siddanth's mother, Sesikala, covered her mouth with her saree, trying to hide her laughter as she watched the boys warn her son about marriage.
The boys transitioned into the next step.
chedi povaddu brahmachari
padi povaddu kalu jaari
taali kattoddu kharma kaali
aali antene bhadrakaali
(Don't get ruined as a bachelor... don't slip and fall... don't tie the knot or your fate turns dark... wife means goddess of doom...)
On the final line of the stanza, the six boys stopped their side-to-side movement. They brought their hands forward and firmly crossed their wrists together, perfectly mimicking the action of being handcuffed. They held their crossed wrists high in the air and began marching aggressively in place, stomping their feet on the wooden stage to the heavy beat.
kalyaname khaidu ra
janmanta vidudala ledu ra
nee kompa munchestundira
aapukoleni ee tondara
(Marriage is a prison... no freedom for life... it will shut your mouth... unstoppable trouble...)
Deva watched them march around him. He slowly uncrossed his arms. He looked at Virat, who was marching directly in front of him with a completely serious, intense expression. Deva raised one eyebrow, refusing to break his stoic character.
Dont marry hey be happy ho
Dont marry hey be happy ye ye ye
Dont marry hey be happy ho
Dont marry hey be happy
happy happy happy
The circle abruptly opened up. Sameer, Arjun, Feroz, and Jadeja stepped backward, giving up the center of the stage.
Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan stepped forward, leaving Deva standing just behind them. They positioned themselves for a quick, highly coordinated two-man mime act while the rest of the boys kept the beat by clapping their hands and stepping side-to-side in the background.
vaddura sodara arey pellante
noorella mantara
Aagara badhara
nuv vellelli gothilo padaddu ra Ah ah ahh
The music transitioned into the narrative verse. Virat stepped forward, taking the lead role.
Siva ani naa close friendu
love lo padi pelli chesukunnadu
(My close friend Siva fell in love and got married...)
college lo vadu greeku veerudu
marriage kakamundu rakumarudu
(College Greek warrior, a prince before marriage...)
Virat physically transformed on the stage. He popped the collar of his silk kurta with both hands. He flexed his biceps slightly, rolled his shoulders back, and strutted confidently across the stage. He walked with an exaggerated, slow, highly arrogant swagger, perfectly mimicking the confident, untamed bachelor. He looked out at the audience, offering a cocky wink to the front row.
antha jarigi just one month kaledu
yenta maaripoyadu gurtupattalenattu
(Just one month later, he became unrecognizable...)
Right on the cue of the drum beat, Shikhar Dhawan slid onto the center of the stage next to Virat. Dhawan represented the post-marriage version of the exact same man.
Dhawan completely changed his posture. He hunched his broad shoulders forward. He rubbed his face tiredly with both hands. He staggered slightly, dragging his feet across the wood as if carrying an invisible, crushing weight on his back.
bakka chikki poyi manchi looku poyi
faceu palipoyi juttu raalipoyi
(Lost weight, lost looks, face pale, hair falling...)
Dhawan dropped directly to his knees on the hard wooden floor. He looked up with a completely terrified, panicked expression. He began pantomiming washing clothes aggressively on an invisible stone. Then, he scrambled forward on his knees and frantically began massaging an invisible wife's feet, looking up constantly with an expression of unadulterated fear.
The crowd lost control. Rohit Sharma was laughing so hard he had to lean on his wife, Ritika, for support.
podduna lestune tana andanni pogadali
mari ye putakapute tanakai love u cheppali
yem korina takshanam teerchali ra aavaram
kathi samaindi ra kaapuram
pelli kshamincharani neram
(Praise her beauty every morning... say I love you every second... fulfill every wish instantly... marriage is a curse...)
Virat walked over to Dhawan, who was still massaging the invisible feet. Virat pointed a warning finger directly at Deva, acting out the grim reality of the situation. Deva watched Dhawan scrubbing the invisible clothes, maintaining his completely blank expression.
Dont marry hey be happy haa
Dont marry hey be happy ye ye ye
Dont marry hey be happy hoo
Dont marry hey be happy
happy happy happy
Virat and Dhawan stood up quickly, brushed off their knees, and stepped back into the wide formation.
It was time for the second narrative verse. Ravindra Jadeja pushed his way firmly to the front, taking the center of the stage. He pulled up the collar of his dark kurta, assuming the posture of the tough, untouchable village rowdy.
Anthenduku maa malli gadu
maa vullo vadanthatodu ledu
maamulugane vadu desa muduru
pelli thote poyindi vadi pogaru
(The village stud whose pride vanished after marriage...)
Jadeja strutted aggressively in a tight circle. He twisted his thick mustache with his right hand, glaring fiercely at the audience, acting exactly like a man who feared absolutely no one.
But as the heavy beat dropped, his entire confident posture collapsed instantly.
Sameer and Arjun rushed forward from the background. They stood on either side of Jadeja. They did not sing, but they began acting like two incredibly angry women—representing the wife and the mother-in-law. They pointed their fingers at Jadeja's face, pantomiming screaming at him at the top of their lungs, taking turns lecturing him aggressively.
Jadeja cowered. He hunched over, covering both his ears with his hands. He looked frantically to his left at Sameer, then to his right at Arjun, acting completely trapped and terrified between the two invisible, screaming women.
Illalu ammoru padleka inti poru
challari poyindi vadi nethuru
(Wife and mother-in-law fighting nonstop, his blood pressure skyrocketed...)
Jadeja stood up straight, trying to regain his composure. He raised his right hand high into the air. He curved his palm and fingers tightly, perfectly mimicking the shape of a striking cobra hood. He hissed confidently at the crowd, demonstrating his former danger.
Then, exactly on the lyric, he immediately dropped his hand straight down to the floor. He laid his arm flat against his leg and began wiggling his index finger weakly, like a pathetic, squirming earthworm trying to cross a road.
Kode naagu lanti vadni vaana pamu chesindi
(Turned the cobra-like man into a harmless rain worm...)
The visual transition from the striking cobra to the wiggling earthworm was perfectly timed. The entire Indian cricket team in the audience roared. Virat Kohli slapped Dhawan on the back, completely losing his breath.
Defeated by the mime, Jadeja turned around. He walked over to a nearby chair positioned near the DJ console. He grabbed a spare, bright yellow dupatta that they bought. He draped the long cloth completely over his head and shoulders, looking exactly like a monk's shawl.
He folded his hands together in deep prayer, bowed his head, and began walking away slowly, shuffling his feet across the stage in complete surrender.
Samsarame waste ani
Ika sanyasame best ani
kaashayame kattadu ra
katti kaashiki poyadu ra
(Declared family life waste, became a sanyasi and ran to Kashi...)
Dont marry hey be happy haa
Dont marry never be happy yes yes yes
Dont marry aaha be happy hahahaa
Dont marry heey be happy
happy happy happy happy happy hai.
As the final, highly energetic chorus began, Krithika, who had been standing near the stairs watching the entire performance, decided she had given them enough time to make their point.
She stopped laughing. She straightened her posture and walked directly toward the center of the wooden stage with purpose.
Seeing her approach out of the corner of his eye, Sameer panicked.
"Hold the line!" Sameer yelled over the loud music, abandoning his dance steps. "Protect him! She is coming!"
The boys instantly closed the wide circle around Deva again. They did not just stand there; they physically linked their arms together, locking elbows, and planted their feet wide. They formed a human barricade between Krithika and Deva.
Krithika did not try to push through the line of boys. She stopped three feet away from the human wall. She folded her arms firmly across her chest.
She locked eyes with Deva through the narrow gap between Dhawan's and Jadeja's shoulders.
The boys continued to step side-to-side, maintaining the barricade, singing the final "happy happy happy" lines loudly at her.
Krithika did not speak. She simply offered a slow knowing smile. She raised her right hand. She deliberately crooked her index finger twice, signaling Deva to come to her immediately.
Deva didn't even hesitate for a second.
"Excuse me, boys," Deva said calmly.
He placed his large hands firmly on the inside shoulders of Dhawan and Jadeja. With a simple, fluid motion, he parted the two men, breaking their locked elbows instantly. He stepped right through the middle of their defensive line, completely destroying the barricade.
The boys gasped in exaggerated, theatrical horror. They dropped their arms to their sides simultaneously, their mouths hanging open.
Krithika gave a triumphant, slightly arrogant hair flip. She turned perfectly on her heel, ignoring the shocked cricketers, and casually walked down the short wooden stairs.
Deva obediently trailed right behind her, not looking back.
Sameer dropped completely to his knees on the wooden stage, clutching his chest with both hands as if he had been shot. "Treason! Betrayal! We lost him!"
Virat threw his hands high into the air, staring at Deva's retreating broad back in disbelief. "We risked everything to save you! We performed the mime! And you just surrender without a fight?"
Deva paused at the bottom of the wooden stairs. He turned back around to face his devastated friends standing on the stage. He reached up with both hands and pulled the lobes of his ears firmly in a sheepish apology.
"Sorry, boys," Deva called out with a helpless grin. "She already knows all my secrets. The resistance is futile."
The DJ immediately faded the heavy track down to silence. The entire Kakatiya courtyard erupted in laughter, thunderous applause, and loud whistling.
Krithika walked back to her velvet sofa and sat down next to her mother, Suma, who was wiping tears of laughter from her eyes. Deva took his seat right next to her, adjusting the cuffs of his kurta.
On the stage, the boys were exhausted. The high-energy performance, combined with the heavy silk kurtas and the warm evening air, had taken a physical toll. Dhawan was resting his hands on his knees, breathing heavily. Virat was wiping sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.
"I need water," Jadeja announced, abandoning the tough-guy persona entirely.
"We need a drink," Sameer corrected him, standing up from his knees.
The boys walked slowly down the stairs, completely ignoring their formal seats, and headed straight toward the bar.
The DJ, recognizing that the theatrical performances were finally over, took control of the evening. He pushed the master fader up. He bypassed the folk songs and the cinematic tracks, dropping a heavy, continuous, fast-paced electronic dance beat that signaled the start of the unstructured party.
The kids and the cousins immediately flooded the open space in front of the stage. The formal seating arrangement dissolved completely.
Deva sat on the sofa, accepting a bottle of cold water from Rahul, his assistant. He drank half the bottle in one long sip.
"You did not look like a rain worm," Krithika noted, watching the dancers.
"I have never washed clothes in my entire life," Deva replied, screwing the cap back onto the plastic bottle. "Their assessment of my future was highly inaccurate."
"We will see," Krithika smiled.