Deepa Gahlot of
Rediff.com gave 3 stars out of 5 and said that "The tone of the film may be gloomy but it is never tragic or hopeless. Like millions of underprivileged people who find joy in small things, Shanu, Bua and their mother keep their heads above water".{{Cite news|url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/report/chidiya-review/20250530.htm|title=Chidiya Review: Endearing Rahul Desai of
The Hollywood Reporter India praised the film. He writes, "What I like the most is the film’s ability to be practical about a hopeful anti-fairytale. It doesn’t package false promises and happily ever afters for the sake of fiction. For better or worse, being spot-boys on a set full of colourful people is the kids’ destiny — it isn’t supposed to change. There is no Aamir Khan-coded saviour or social-commentary climax. Any joys of adolescence that they manage to locate from hereon is within the confines of this future — like an empty badminton court at a school on an outdoor shoot, or a short holiday between schedules."{{Cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporterindia.com/reviews/theatrical/chidiya-movie-review-a-sweet-and-self-contained-film-about-lost-childhoods|title=‘Chidiya’ Movie Review: A Sweet And Self-Contained Film About Lost Childhood Sana Farzeen of
India Today gave 4 stars out of 5 and said that "in an age where content is abundant, but emotion often feels diluted, Chidiya is a rare gem. Honest, heartwarming, funny, and beautifully detailed — it reminds us of why we fell in love with cinema in the first place."{{Cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/reviews/story/chidiya-review-mumbai-chawl-dreams-struggles-resilience-amruta-subhash-vinay-pathak-2732982-2025-05-30|title=Chidiya review: A tender tale of dreams, struggles and resilience in Mumbai chawl Devesh Sharma of
Filmfare also gave 4 stars out of 5 and observed that "Chidiya is a children’s film which has a poignant message about child labour even as it showcases small dreams and desires of its child protagonists."{{Cite news|url=https://www.filmfare.com/reviews/bollywood-movies/chidiya-movie-review-a-heartwarming-slice-of-life-drama-74283.html|title=Chidiya Movie Review: A heartwarming, slice-of-life drama Dhaval Roy of
The Times of India rated 3.5/5 stars and said "Chidiya is a must-watch family fare, offering simple yet profound storytelling that warms the heart and leaves you smiling."{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-reviews/chidiya/movie-review/121496388.cms|title=Chidiya Movie Review : Childhood dreams shine in this uplifting slice-of-life film Subhash K Jha writing for
News 24 rated 5/5 stars and praise the film and said "Chidiya is a gem of a film, an instant classic, if you will. It conveys what the director so succinctly describes as “the joy in scarcity” with such an austere stare at neo-realism, I immediately want to put him up there with the masters of neo-realism
Vittorio de Sica and
Satyajit Ray."{{Cite news|url=https://news24online.com/entertainment/chidiya-review-this-is-hands-down-the-most-precious-film-of-the-year/572653/|title=Chidiya Review: This Is Hands-Down The Most Precious Film Of The Year Amit Bhatia of
ABP News gave 4 stars out of 5 and said that "The film is a reminder of the art that has the power to save cinema from its financial and creative struggles."{{Cite news|url=https://news.abplive.com/movie-review/entertainment/movie-review-chidiya-review-a-simple-soulful-story-that-revives-faith-in-hindi-cinema-1776181|title=Chidiya Review: A Simple, Soulful Story That Revives Faith In Hindi Cinema Sanyukta Thakare of
Mashable India commented that "Chidiya is about letting go of the expectation and being yourself, what little you can for everyday not matter what the world throws at you."{{Cite news|url=https://in.mashable.com/entertainment/94924/chidiya-review-amruta-subhash-vinay-pathaks-film-brings-back-the-childhood-innocence|title=Chidiya Review: Amruta Subhash, Vinay Pathak’s Film Brings Back The Childhood Innocence Rishabh Suri of
Hindustan Times gave 3.5 stars out of 5 and writes that "Chidiya is a gentle reminder of the power of small dreams and everyday kindness. It may not roar with dramatic highs, but it speaks in a sincere voice that stays with you."{{Cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/chidiya-review-this-simple-tale-about-badminton-soars-on-hope-and-a-lot-of-heart-vinay-pathak-amruta-subhash-101748707374795.html|title=Chidiya review: This simple tale about badminton soars on hope and a lot of heart ==References==