Peddi

About the film

Peddi is a 2026 Indian Telugu-language sports action drama film 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 Shiva Rajkumar, Janhvi Kapoor and Jagapathi Babu.

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.

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 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, 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.

Production

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.

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.

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.

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$3.7 million).

Key details