Peddi

Plot

In 2016, a National Sports Ministry Official is reprimanded by the minister following India's poor performance at the Olympic Games. While touring a town in Andhra Pradesh, the official observes local youth demonstrating an exceptional dedication to athletics, all attributing their inspiration to an individual named Peddi. Intrigued, the official embarks on an arduous trek through forests and hills to reach a remote, nameless hilltop village to uncover Peddi's history.

Past: The narrative shifts to 1994 in a marginalized and undocumented tribal hamlet in the Vizianagaram region. The villagers face systemic social discrimination, economic exploitation, and violence from neighboring upper-caste landlords. Appalasoori, a resident of the hamlet, has spent three decades petitioning the government to have the village legally recognized, named, and granted a railway station to establish connectivity with the outside world. Peddi, another villager and Appalasoori's companion, works as an aata coolie (sports laborer) possessing unmatched cricketing skills. He participates in regional tournaments for wages and maintains an undefeated record. During this period, he develops a romantic relationship with Achiyamma, the daughter of a local politician. When Rambujji, the nephew of her father's political rival, attempts to publicly humiliate Achiyamma by disrobing her skirt, Peddi intervenes, leading to a violent altercation. In retaliation, Rambujji orchestrates Peddi's public humiliation during a local tournament, ensuring his defeat. Despite the loss, Peddi retains the admiration of the local public. Gournaidu, a veteran wrestler seeking to revive Vizianagaram's endangered traditional wrestling, recognizes Peddi's athletic potential and offers to train him, though Peddi initially declines.

The village suffers a severe setback when a child dies in the forest while the community is trekking back to work. A devastated Appalasoori presents his petitions to the local minister, only to be harshly rebuffed and humiliated. Driven to despair, Appalasoori commits suicide by stepping in front of a speeding train. Outraged by his death, Peddi and the villagers vandalize the railway tracks by setting them on fire, resulting in a brutal police intervention. Recognizing the systemic helplessness of his community, Peddi resolves to secure a legal identity for the village and approaches Gournaidu for training. Undergoing rigorous preparation, Peddi successfully advances through local and state-level wrestling competitions.

As he positions himself for a national victory, an envious rival, Veerabhadra inflicts a severe, career-threatening leg injury upon him. Despite the impairment, Peddi reaches the tournament semi-finals. However, Bhadra tells Ratan Sisodia's camp about him injuring Peddi's leg and to target his leg. Yet, in the semis, Peddi wins but faints. Upon awakening, he learns that the injury has rendered him permanently unfit for wrestling. Refusing a compensatory government desk job, Peddi separates from Achiyamma and travels to Delhi to meet the National Railways Minister. The minister dismisses his appeals, mocking his physical condition and labeling his injury an excuse.

Production

Development

In late-November 2022, Ram Charan confirmed his collaboration with Buchi Babu Sana for his next film. It was produced by Vriddhi Cinemas and Sukumar Writings, with Mythri Movie Makers serving as distributors. The film's crew and actors who were playing pivotal characters in the film were announced through individual publicity posters. Accordingly, R. Rathnavelu was announced as the cinematographer. In January 2024, A. R. Rahman was brought on board to compose the background score and music to the film. The production house scheduled auditions across Vizianagaram, Salur, Srikakulam, and Visakhapatnam to rope in additional talent. The project was officially launched by Chiranjeevi on 20 March 2024 under the working title RC16, described as a "rural, emotional and rustic journey." Charan underwent a physical transformation under fitness coach Shivoham Bhatt, and learned the Vizianagaram dialect for his role.

Casting

Ram Charan was announced as the main lead. Shiva Rajkumar confirmed joining the film in January 2024. Janhvi Kapoor was announced as the female lead on 6 March 2024. Jagapathi Babu and Divyenndu joined the cast in November 2024. Vijay Sethupathi was offered a role but declined it, choosing to pivot away from father-figure roles similar to his character in Sana's Uppena (2021). Boman Irani joined the cast in December 2025, and Shruti Haasan was roped in for a special song appearance in April 2026.

Filming

Principal photography commenced in Mysuru on 22 November 2024. The director posted his picture with the film's script in front of the Chamundeshwari Temple. Aalim Hakim was brought in to design multiple looks for Charan. Kapoor prepared for her character in Hyderabad through December 2024. Filming occurred at the Bhoot Bungalow in Hyderabad for ten days, and an intense action sequence was filmed near Moula Ali across five days in April 2025.

In May 2025, production designer Avinash Kolla and his team constructed a massive set replicating a 1980s coastal town in the outskirts of Hyderabad. By October 2025, around 60% of filming was done, including a romantic song shot in Sri Lanka. Additionally, a track titled "Chikiri" choreographed by Jani Master was filmed in Savalya Ghat near Pune. In December 2025, a crucial fight sequence choreographed by Sham Kaushal was executed at a steel factory in Hyderabad. Following a minor injury sustained by Charan during an action scene in March 2026, principal photography formally concluded at the end of April 2026.

Music

The soundtrack and original score were composed by A. R. Rahman, who finished three tracks by March 2024. Global music distribution rights were acquired by T-Series for ₹35 crore (US$3.6 million).

The single tracks were dropped sequentially: "Chikiri Chikiri" released on 7 November 2025, followed by "Rai Rai Raa Raa" on 2 March 2026. The third single "Hellallallo" debuted on 24 May 2026, and the final promotional song, "Massa Massa," released on 28 May 2026.

Release

Theatrical

Peddi released globally on 4 June 2026 across various formatting options including IMAX, 4DX, D-Box, ScreenX, ICE, PCX, PXL, MX4D, Dolby Cinema, and EPIQ. It encountered multiple delays from its original window of 27 March 2026 due to pending post-production work. The film was released simultaneously in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, and Malayalam. It received a 12A certification from the British Board of Film Classification and a U/A classification from India's CBFC following slight dialogue adjustments.

Distribution

The theatrical distribution rights were managed by Mythri Movie Distributors LLP in the Nizam region for ₹63 crore. Jio Studios took over the distribution rights across North India, while Kishore Films distributed the movie in Karnataka. Think Studios oversaw operations in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and Hombale Films distributed the project in international overseas territories.

Marketing

The title and initial theatrical layout were launched in March 2025. A short one-minute first-glimpse preview was launched on 6 April 2025, revealing Charan's rugged appearance. The final full-length theatrical trailer launched on 18 May 2026 during a promotional tour event hosted in Mumbai.

Home media

Post-theatrical digital streaming rights were purchased under an exclusive rights agreement with Netflix. The film began streaming on Netflix from 9 July 2026.

Reception

Box office

The film brought in ₹135.36 crore worldwide on its first opening day, including ₹82.49 crore in domestic markets. It surged past the global gross milestone of ₹233 crore across its initial extended opening weekend, with Indian domestic box office returns pulling in ₹187 crore. Following its second week of tracking, the worldwide collection reached ₹320 crore. It concluded its theatrical run with a worldwide gross estimated to be ₹330–336.85 crore.

Critical reception

Peddi received mixed reviews from critics.

Neeshita Nyayapati of Hindustan Times gave the film 3.5/5 stars and wrote, "Where the film falters is when it relies on scenes that add nothing to the story beyond the same old masala. Nonetheless, the film is a win for both Buchi and Ram." Suhas Sistu of The Hans India gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote, "While a few commercial elements and certain character portions feel slightly stretched, the strong emotional core, inspiring message, and powerful performances make Peddi an engaging and satisfying big-screen entertainer."

T Maruthi Acharya of India Today gave the film 3/5 stars and wrote, "Peddi is ultimately one of those films where emotion frequently defeats logic. The difference is that it does so with remarkable conviction. Latha Srinivasan of NDTV awarded the film 3/5 stars, writing that despite minor script downfalls, it remains viable due to Ram Charan's powerful lead portrayal and emotional delivery. Divya Shree of The Times of India gave 3/5 stars and wrote, "Overall, despite occasional lags, underwritten supporting characters Peddi remains an engaging watch, driven by Ram Charan's performance and an emotionally resonant fight for identity, recognition and belonging."

Yashaswini Sri of The Indian Express offered a 2.5/5 star appraisal, indicating that while Sana introduces a strong premise and Charan excels, the pacing stumbles from uneven thematic distribution. Vinamra Mathur of Firstpost gave the film 2.5/5 stars and wrote, "Oh yes, Peddi is also a fluid and fascinating dancer who moves faster than the speed of light. He can do just about anything; only if he knew how not to be distasteful to the woman he loves, and rescue an engrossing idea from a forgettable palimpsest of Chandu Champion, Dangal, and The Karate Kid." Suresh Kavirayani of Cinema Express gave 2.5/5 stars and wrote, "Ultimately, Peddi belongs entirely to Ram Charan, whose performance carries the film from start to finish."

Sajan Shrijith of The Week gave the film 2/5 stars and wrote, ""Peddi" feels like a weird mishmash of several films we have seen before. It feels so derivative. Aside from a certain 'twist' in the third act that interestingly subverts the conventional Telugu 'mass hero' archetype, there are bits of "Pushpa", "Sarpatta Parambarai" and, to some extent, Charan's own "Rangasthalam"". Bollywood Hungama gave the film 2/5 stars and wrote, "On the whole, Peddi rests on Ram Charan’s terrific performance and a few massy, clapworthy scenes. However, the film suffers due to substandard writing, laughable developments and a stretched narrative." BVS Prakash of Deccan Chronicle gave 2 out of 5 stars and wrote, "Despite a strong performance from Ram Charan and a touching climax, Peddi fails to realize its potential due to a weak screenplay, forced commercial elements, and lack of emotional engagement."

Controversy

Following its theatrical release, the film drew widespread criticism over the perceived objectification of Janhvi Kapoor's character, Achiyamma. Viewers, critics, and several members of the film industry objected to certain scenes, camera angles, close-up shots and non-consensual romantic encounter arguing that they objectified the character and undermined her role in the story. The backlash triggered broader discussions on the representation of women in Indian cinema. In response, director Buchi Babu Sana issued a public apology, stating that the filmmakers had no intention of disrespecting women and acknowledging that some scenes had caused discomfort. He announced that the controversial portions would be modified or removed, emphasizing that "every woman deserves to be portrayed with dignity."