Peddi
2026 Indian film by Buchi Babu Sana
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Peddi is a 2026 Indian Telugu-language sports action drama film[9][10] written and directed by Buchi Babu Sana. Produced by Venkata Satish Kilaru under Vriddhi Cinemas and co-produced by Ishan Saksena under IVY Entertainment and presented by Mythri Movie Makers and Sukumar Writings, it stars Ram Charan in the titular role, alongside Janhvi Kapoor, Shiva Rajkumar, Jagapathi Babu, Divyenndu and Boman Irani.
| Peddi | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Buchi Babu Sana |
| Written by | Buchi Babu Sana |
| Produced by | Venkata Satish Kilaru |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | R. Rathnavelu |
| Edited by | Naveen Nooli |
| Music by | A. R. Rahman |
Production company | Vriddhi Cinemas |
| Distributed by | see below |
Release date |
|
Running time | 189 minutes[1] |
| Country | India |
| Language | Telugu |
| Budget | ₹350 crore[2][3][4][5] |
| Box office | ₹345 crore[a] |
The film was announced under the working title of RC16 in March 2024, with the official title being announced as Peddi in March 2025. Principal photography commenced in Mysuru on 22 November 2024, with filming taking place in Hyderabad, Colombo, Kanyakumari, and Pune. Filming concluded by the end of April 2026. The original score and soundtrack are composed by A. R. Rahman.
The film was released theatrically on 4 June 2026 in standard, IMAX, 4DX, D-Box, ScreenX, ICE, PCX, PXL, MX4D, Dolby Cinema, and EPIQ formats to mixed reviews.[11][12]
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.
The narrative shifts to the late 1980s 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, 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 inflicts a severe, career-threatening leg injury upon him. Despite the impairment, Peddi wins the tournament semi-finals before collapsing into unconsciousness. 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.
Desperate to force a bureaucratic resolution, Peddi deliberately amputates his damaged leg, acquires a running blade prosthetic, and undergoes a grueling physical transition into a para-track athlete. He enters and wins a national track race, using his post-match victory speech to publicize his village's lack of legal recognition and the ongoing hardships of his people. The broadcast is watched tearfully by his villagers, Achiyamma - who has publicly proclaimed herself his wife - and a reformed Rambujji, who was moved by Peddi's determination.
Confronted with widespread public pressure, the central government officially recognizes the village and commissions a railway station. Although the government offers to name the station after him, Peddi requests that the village be renamed "Appalavalasa" in honor of Appalasoori. He returns home to a celebratory welcome, reconciling with his mother and Achiyamma. In the present day, the inspired government official resolves to implement a national initiative to identify and nurture grassroots sports talent in remote villages across India.
Cast
- Ram Charan as Peddi
- Janhvi Kapoor as Achiyamma, Peddi's love interest
- Shiva Rajkumar as Gournaidu, Peddi's wrestling coach and mentor
- Jagapathi Babu as Appalasoori
- Divyenndu as Ram Bujji
- Boman Irani as Kiran Singh Baiswal, a National Sports Ministry Official
- Ravi Kishan as Ranadheer Sisodia, Gournaidu's rival
- Viji Chandrasekhar as Peddi's mother
- Rao Ramesh as Subhadra Rao, Achiyamma's father
- Rajatava Dutta as a Police officer
- Satya as Peddi's friend
- John Vijay as Babu
- Ajay Ghosh as Paidappa
- Upendra Limaye as a villager
- Tinnu Anand as Vishnukant Tiwari, Youth Affairs and Sports Minister
- Srikanth Iyengar as Ram Bujji's uncle
- Hareesh Peradi as a Sports official
- Chitram Seenu
- Tarak Ponnappa as Veerabhadra
- Mahesh Achanta as a locomotive pilot
- Srinivas Vadlamani
- Yash Puri
- Nandagopal
- Prashanth Natana
- Shruti Haasan in a special appearance in the item number "Hellallallo"
Production
Development
In late-November 2022, Ram Charan confirmed his collaboration with Buchi Babu Sana for his next film.[13] It was produced by Venkata Satish Kilaru's Vriddhi Cinemas and Sukumar Writings, Mythri Movie Makers to be the distributors.[14] The film's crew and actors who were playing pivotal characters in the film were announced through individual publicity posters shared through the social media handles of the production house.[15] Accordingly, R. Rathnavelu was announced as the cinematographer.[16] In January 2024, A. R. Rahman was brought onboard to compose the background score and music to the film.[17] The production house scheduled auditions in Vizianagaram, Salur, Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam to rope in additional actors.[18] The film was launched under the working title RC16 on 20 March 2024 by Chiranjeevi in Hyderabad. The film was described as a "rural, emotional and rustic journey" for the audience.[19] Charan underwent a physical transformation under fitness coach Shivoham Bhatt[20], and learnt the Vizianagaram dialect for his role.[21]
Casting
Ram Charan was announced as the main lead.[13] Shiva Rajkumar confirmed joining the film in January 2024.[22] Jahnavi Kapoor was announced as the female lead alongside Charan on 6 March 2024.[23] Jagapathi Babu and Divyenndu joined the film in November 2024.[24][25] Vijay Sethupathi was offered a role but declined it, as he preferred to play a diversive role in subsequent films rather than reprising a father figure again as he did in Sana's Uppena (2021).[26] Boman Irani joined the cast in December 2025.[27] In April 2026, Shruti Haasan was roped in for a special appearance in a song.[28]
Filming
Principal photography commenced in Mysuru on 22 November 2024.[29] The director posted his picture with the film’s script in front of the Chamundeshwari Temple.[29] Aalim Hakim was roped in to design the look for Charan.[30] Kapoor stayed in Hyderabad through December 2024 to prepare for her character in the film.[31] A few scenes were filmed at the Bhoot Bungalow in Hyderabad for 10 days.[32] An action sequence was filmed near Moula Ali through five days in April 2025.[33] In May 2025, production designer Avinash Kolla and his team have built village resembling Vizianagram[34] in the outskirts of Hyderabad, where stunt and dramatic sequences were filmed.[34] The team has recreated the 1980s coastal town with detailed sets and period-specific props.[35] 30% of the filming was completed.[36] By October 2025, the crew filmed a romantic number in Sri Lanka.[37] In the Pune schedule, a dance number titled "Chikiri" choreographed by Jani Master[38] was filmed at Savalya Ghat.[39] In October 2025, it was announced that nearly 60% of the filming was completed, with the film's first half already finished with editing.[35] In December 2025, an action sequence choreographed by Sham Kaushal was filmed in a steel factory in Hyderabad.[40] The sequence was said to be a face-off between Charan and Rajkumar's characters.[40] In March 2026, Charan suffered a minor injury while filming an action sequence.[41] In April 2026, a special song featuring Shruti Haasan was filmed in Hyderabad.[42] Principal photography for the film concluded by the end of April 2026.[43]
Music
| Peddi | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by | |
| Released | 28 May 2026 |
| Recorded | 2024–2025 |
| Studio | Annapurna Studios |
| Genre | Feature film soundtrack |
| Length | 16:30 |
| Language | Telugu |
| Label | T-Series |
| Producer | A. R. Rahman |
The original score and soundtrack album are composed by A. R. Rahman. He finished composing three tracks for the film by March 2024.[44] The music rights were acquired by T-Series for ₹35 crore (US$3.7 million).[45]
The first single titled "Chikiri Chikiri" was released on 7 November 2025.[46] The second single titled "Rai Rai Raa Raa" was released on 2 March 2026.[47] The third single titled "Hellallallo" was released on 24 May 2026.[48]
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Chikiri Chikiri" | Balaji | Mohit Chauhan | 4:33 |
| 2. | "Rai Rai Raa Raa" | Anantha Sreeram | A. R. Rahman | 4:27 |
| 3. | "Hellallallo" | Anantha Sreeram | Rakshita Suresh | 3:49 |
| 4. | "Massa Massa" | Anantha Sreeram | Vishal Mishra, Rakshita Suresh, Deepthi Suresh | 3:42 |
| Total length: | 16:30 | |||
Release
Theatrical
Peddi was released worldwide on 4 June 2026, in premium large formats, including IMAX, 4DX, D-Box, ScreenX, ICE, PCX, PXL, MX4D, Dolby Cinema, and EPIQ.[49] Originally, it was scheduled to release on 27 March 2026, coinciding with Charan's birthday,[21] however it was postponed due to unfinished production work.[50] Later, the release date got shifted to 30 April 2026.[51] However, director Sana revealed at the Telugu pre-release event of Kara that it will be postponed to 25 June 2026,[52][53] before preponing to its current release date.[54] The film was released in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada and Malayalam languages.[55] The film received a rating of 12A from the British Board of Film Classification and a U/A 16+ certification from the CBFC after some cuss words were removed.[1]
Distribution
The film was distributed by Mythri Movie Distributors LLP in Nizam for ₹63 crore.[56] Jio Studios distributed the film in North India[57] while Kishore Films will distribute it in Karnataka.[58] Think Studios distributed the film in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.[59] The film was distributed across international territories by Hombale Films.[60]
Marketing
In March 2025, the title of the film was announced as Peddi.[61] The first official poster was released on that day. Additionally, a one-minute video teaser released on 6 April 2025, which introduces Charan in a rugged look, sporting long beard and nose ring.[62] The official trailer was launched on 18 May 2026 at a special event in Mumbai.[63]
Home media
The post-theatrical digital streaming rights of the film were acquired by Netflix.[64]
Reception
Critical reception
Subhash K. Jha of BollySpice rated the film 4 out of 5 stars and described Ram Charan's performance as "an astonishing performance, unequalled by anything I've seen by an upfront superstar of cinema", while praising the film's blend of entertainment and social commentary.[65] Latha Srinivasan of NDTV rated the film 3 out of 5 stars and said that despite its predictable story and flaws, Peddi is worth watching for Ram Charan's powerful performance, strong emotions, and impressive visuals.[66] Yashaswini Sri of The Indian Express rated the film 2.5 out of 5 stars and wrote, "Buchi Babu Sana comes into his second film with a genuinely interesting idea at its core, and Ram Charan makes the most of it but the film carries too much weight in the wrong places, and not enough where it counts".[67] Vinamra Mathur of Firstpost gave the film 2.5 out of 5 and stated, "On one hand, when Malayalam cinema is telling progressive stories that have the power to stand the test of time, a film like this flaunts its puerile and problematic telling like second skin".[68]
BVS Prakash of Deccan Chronicle gave the film 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".[69] Sreeju Sudhakaran of Rediff rated the film 1.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "the film buries its powerful story about caste identity and social inequality beneath hero worship, regressive romance and exhausting excesses".[70] Chirag Sehgal of News 18 rated the film 1.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "Overall, Peddi can be skipped. Watch it at your own risk and only if you are a Ram Charan fan".[71]
Controversy
The film faced controversy for its alleged objectification of Janhvi Kapoor's character, Achiyamma, specifically citing lingering camera shots and a scene depicting a non-consensual kiss.[72][73] In response to the criticism, director Buchi Babu Sana issued a public apology stating that it was never their intention to disrespect women and confirming that the production team would actively modify and edit out the controversial portions in the theatres.[74]
Box office
The film made ₹112.49 crore globally on its opening day including ₹82.49 crore domestically.[75][76] By the end of two days, the worldwide gross stood at ₹150 crore which also include domestic gross collection of ₹114.50 crore.[77] It is estimated to have grossed over ₹290 crore within its first three days.[78] The total worldwide extended-weekend gross collection was ₹233 crore including ₹187 crore from domestic markets.[79][80][81][82] After the first Monday, the domestic and international gross collections were ₹201.92 crore and ₹47 crore respectively. Thus the five-day worldwide gross collection stood at ₹248.92 crore.[83][84][85]