Peddi reviews: Ram Charan powers messy ride that works in flashes, Janhvi Kapoor’s arc triggers backlash
The film has already crossed over Rs 1.12 billion worldwide
Ram Charan’s Peddi has been touted as a loud, uneven, but undeniably watchable commercial entertainer, and the conversation around it is just as divided as the film itself.
While some viewers have called out the film’s problematic elements, especially Janhvi’s track, which many felt was poorly written and tonally off, others have pointed to a familiar double standard in audience reactions. As one viewer bluntly noted, similar issues in big-ticket films like Pushpa, Devara, Pushpa 2, and SVP often go unchecked, sparking accusations of selective outrage. It seems as if the actress might agree with it too, as she liked a post criticising the film's treatment of her character, Achiamma.
Apart from the discourse, Peddi itself struggles to fully land its emotional core. A key criticism is its inability to make us care about the hillside hamlet at its center. The setting, unlike the organically immersive worlds of Kantara or Avatar, never quite earns its mystery or meaning, leaving the story’s foundation feeling underdeveloped.
Structurally, the film plays like a rollercoaster of highs and dips, as reviewers note. The first half sticks closely to a template commercial format and largely fails to ignite, with Jahnvi’s track again emerging as a weak link. But things shift sharply from the pre-interval stretch into the “Massa Massa” sequence, widely called the film’s biggest highlight for its energy and execution. Post that, the narrative once again wobbles, though it eventually lands a neatly wrapped climax.
If there’s one unanimous takeaway, it’s Ram Charan’s performance. Critics and viewers alike agree he dominates the screen with a committed, physical, and emotionally charged turn that carries much of the film’s weight. A.R. Rahman’s music also earns consistent praise for elevating key moments, even when the screenplay and editing falter.
Director Buchi Babu Sana is credited with attempting an honest story, but the execution is seen as inconsistent, ambitious in intent, uneven in structure.
Still, many agree Peddi works best when expectations are lowered. It may not be polished or consistently gripping, but it remains watchable for its lead performance, standout musical moments, and flashes of sincerity buried within its flaws.
At the box office, however, Peddi is already crossing records. With a sensational opening day crossing the Rs 100 crore mark worldwide, it now sits among Ram Charan’s biggest global openers, behind only RRR (Rs 223 crore), and ahead of titles like Game Changer, Rangasthalam, and Vinaya Vidheya Rama.
In the end, as one viewer put it, Peddi is not a perfectly engineered ride and more like a messy, searching journey.
