Surendra Rai’s Journey: The man behind the viral success of “Rukum Maikot”

KATHMANDU: The song “Rukum Maikot” from the movie Khushma has taken over the Nepalese music scene with its viral success.

The song features actors Dhiraj Magar and Upasana Singh Thakuri. This catchy tune with strong lyrics made it a cultural phenomenon as it broke multiple records by staying the longest on the Global Trending Charts of YouTube for a Nepali song.

But the success story beneath it goes beyond the mere melodious sound and powerful lyrics.

Due credit is given to flawless choreography by Surendra Rai, also known as Suren, who tried to blend traditional and modern dance so well that a wave occurred not only in Nepal but all over the world.

Rise of “Rukum Maikot”

This song has gained over 35 million views since its upload on YouTube and is trending worldwide for several weeks. “Rukum Maikot” is penned down by SD Yogi himself, sung by Yogi, and Shantishree Pariyar, thus getting an instant hit with the blend of folk melodies and contemporary arrangements.

But it was not only the audio that clicked with people; the choreography done by Surendra Rai himself gives an extra height to this song, and thus it goes viral on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.

Behind the choreography, the vision of Rai was crystal clear: to make a dance that would amuse people and evoke a sense of celebration and togetherness.

“When I choreographed and designed this song, my intention was for everyone to feel joyful watching the choreography-to awaken a sense of celebration and for people to feel connected,” he shares. The intention surely rang with audiences, as the hook step went viral and inspired thousands of dance covers around the world, including fans outside Nepal.

Dancing’s Viral Impact

But one of the most interesting factors in the success story of “Rukum Maikot’s” is how Rai’s choreography has affected the film Khushma. In filmmaking, songs released as promos often help draw audiences to the theater. That’s what Rai’s dance steps did – especially the hook step. “As soon as the song went viral, many started asking, ‘Which movie is this song from? Because the song and the hook step went viral, the film ‘Khushma’ came to the notice of many audiences,” says Rai.

Such was the magic of the song that many audience members went to see the theatres just for this number. The choreography gave the song an identity all its own and created a buzz around the film such that it once again proved that no promotion can substitute the impact of a hit song.

Balancing Tradition and Modernity

That’s where the real brilliance of Rai’s choreography lies-in uniquely blending the orthodox moves of Nepali dance with a modern appeal.

In “Rukum Maikot”, he merged the folk traditions of the Magar community with some clever, contemporary moves that made the dance appealing to both older and younger generations. “My aim was to retain the beauty of our culture and traditions while giving it a slight modern touch to make it relatable for today’s youth,” Rai said.

This fragile balance between traditional and modern dance movements came out as the hallmark of the choreography of the song. According to Rai, “It was very important to keep the cultural essence intact while making the song relevant for an international audience.”

“A song and its choreography are only successful when viewers of all ages enjoy and appreciate them,” Rai adds. This methodology did not only work wonders with the song domestically but also worked internationally since people from other parts of the world used to make dance covers.

Taking on the Tough Ones in Rukum

While “Rukum Maikot” is a success story now, its birth was not without labor pains. Filming the music video was no mean task in remote Rukum. It was geographically isolated, and transportation of instruments and personnel was a great challenge to the production team. “Just reaching Rukum was a big challenge,” Rai recalls.

In addition, upon arrival, most of the locals had gone up into the mountains to harvest yarsagumba, a medicinal fungus highly valued, and it had not been easy to mobilize enough people to shoot the festive scenes to capture in the video.

But Rai and his team would not be deterred. The perseverance paid off, and the challenges were overcome with the active support of the local people.

“With the help of the locals, we overcame that difficulty,” says Rai, as he fondly recollects the toil behind the production. If this was not all, unpredictable weather made shooting even more complex: strong winds and rains frequently disrupted the shooting. But then, despite all obstacles, the work got completed by Rai’s team, and the result has been simply spectacular.

A Vision for the Future

Success for “Rukum Maikot” has not only established Rai’s position as one of the finest choreographers in Nepal but also cherished big dreams in his mind. Coming days behold more enthusiasm from Rai on projects that showcase the beauty, culture, and traditions of Nepal on a grand scale. “I want to work on projects that establish Nepal’s identity through dance on the global stage,” he says. He aspires to choreograph more songs and performances which can integrate the richness of Nepal’s culture into a modern perspective, which also can appeal to both local and international audiences.

For Rai, “Rukum Maikot” had thus been a process of learning-a process wherein the way of storytelling through dance is an intrinsic part of culture. And this is the reason he wishes to share with the next generation of choreographers the need to respect the roots of Nepali culture while embracing influences from the outside world. One needs to understand the song first, research it well, and then incorporate modern elements without losing its cultural value.” He thus advises young choreographers.

A Cultural Milestone

Surendra Rai’s work on “Rukum Maikot” has made him not only a household name but also linked the importance of dance in knitting people across borders. His choreography, so ably blending tradition with modernity, has surely had an effect not only on the song but on the entire film industry.

While Nepali cinema is growing, leaving its marks on the international platform, Rai’s contribution to choreography happens to remind people about the strength of art in telling a story, keeping up culture, and bonding together.

With “Rukum Maikot,” Rai showed the world how an ordinary dance step may become an iconic move-one that celebrates Nepal’s beauty and tradition even while pushing the barriers of modern creativity.

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