Written and directed by Buchi Babu Sana, Peddi was expected to be the biggest film in Ram Charan’s career. After the disastrous Game Changer, fans hoped the ‘Mega Power Star’ would make a strong comeback with this sports drama.
Despite the massive buzz surrounding the project and the presence of A. R. Rahman, the film has failed to deliver the impact it promised since launch and is currently underperforming at the box office.
Weak Writing and Underdeveloped Characters
One of the biggest reasons behind Peddi’s downfall is its weak writing and underdeveloped characters. Buchi Babu Sana’s inexperience in crafting an engaging narrative and landing the emotional moments is evident throughout the film.
Jagapathi Babu, who had called this the best role of his career, fails to leave the desired impact, while Shiva Rajkumar feels severely underutilized. Divyendu Sharma and Boman Irani too end up with forgettable parts, making the narrative feel emotionally hollow despite its scale.
Commercial Missteps
Peddi also stumbles in its commercial elements. The much-hyped ‘item’ song featuring Shruti Haasan turns out to be a complete misfire and arguably the weakest track in the album. Its placement feels forced and disrupts the flow of the story.
Adding to the disappointment, the climax had already leaked online months before release, reducing its impact considerably. Meanwhile, Janhvi Kapoor’s glamorous portrayal of a village belle did not sit well with a section of the audience.
Final Verdict
Overall, Peddi is a sports drama that falls well short of expectations. Ram Charan’s performance and A. R. Rahman’s music emerge as the film’s biggest strengths, while the entertaining first half and a few engaging moments in the latter portions offer some relief.
However, the film ultimately misses the emotional and dramatic highs it aimed for, making it a largely underwhelming experience.
