Ram Charan's Sports Drama Peddi Opens in Theatres to Positive Reviews

The Telugu film industry saw the highly anticipated release of actor Ram Charan's new sports drama, Peddi, which hit theatres on June 4, 2026. Directed by Buchi Babu Sana, the film opened to a positive reception from critics and audiences, who praised its strong emotional core and the lead actor's performance.

Set in the year 2016, the narrative of Peddi follows a sports official named Mr. Paiswal, played by Boman Irani, who is tasked by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to find exceptional sporting talent following India's disappointing performance at the Olympics. His search leads him to Vizianagaram, where he discovers Peddi, played by Ram Charan, a local jaggery worker from an unrecognised village who possesses extraordinary athletic abilities across multiple sports. Paiswal then sets out to uncover the story behind Peddi's journey and his deep connection to his village.

The film features a star-studded ensemble cast including Janhvi Kapoor, Shiva Rajkumar, Jagapathi Babu, and Divyendu Sharma. Early reviews highlighted Ram Charan's physical transformation and committed performance as the film's primary strength, drawing comparisons to his acclaimed role in Rangasthalam. Critics noted his emotional depth and maturity during the film's pre-climax and climax sequences.

The supporting cast also received positive mentions. Shiva Rajkumar leaves a strong impression in an important role alongside Ram Charan, while Jagapathi Babu delivers a powerful performance as Appalasoori despite limited screen time. Boman Irani plays his role as the sports official with his characteristic ease.

On the technical front, the film features music composed by AR Rahman, cinematography by Ratnavelu, and editing by Navin Nooli. The project was produced by Venkata Satish Kilaru.

While the film's cricket-centric sports sequences and emotional climax were widely praised, some reviews pointed out that certain emotional scenes fell short of their potential, feeling somewhat ordinary and predictable. Despite these minor criticisms, the film secured a positive critical rating of 3.25 out of 5 following its June 4 release.