We Missed Having a Proper Hookstep in ‘Gamechanger’: Thaman

Game Changer, starring Ram Charan and directed by Shankar, was one of the biggest releases in Telugu cinema this year. The film was made with a big budget, on a grand scale. Shankar debuted in Telugu with this straight film and Dil Raju produced it.

However, beyond the film’s underwhelming performance, what truly disappointed fans was the failure of its music album, composed by Thaman. Unlike his previous hits, none of the songs from Game Changer created a lasting impact. Thaman recently addressed this issue in a podcast, shifting some blame onto the film’s choreographers. He argued that a song’s success goes beyond just music and that the choreography plays a crucial role in its reach and popularity.

He claimed, “I can pull off 25 million views with a song, and a melody can even get 50 million views. But after that, it’s about execution. A song needs to work on reels, and that depends on the choreographers designing the right steps.”

Citing examples, Thaman pointed out that none of Game Changer’s songs—Jaragandi, Raa Macha Macha, or Hyraanaa—had a strong hook step. In contrast, he noted how every song in Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo had a memorable dance move, which contributed to its viral success.

According to him, Game Changer failed in this aspect because the choreography lacked the kind of hook steps that make songs trend, thereby affecting audience connection.