Peddi is a pan-India film starring Ram Charan (Chiranjeevi’s son) in the lead role. The cast also features Shiva Rajkumar, Jagapathi Babu and there is Janhvi Kapoor as the romantic lead. Also there is an actor from Mumbai- Divyendu in a supporting role. Directed by Buchi Babu Sana, this rural sports drama follows a spirited villager who unites his community through sports and fights for their pride and identity.
It seems that after the mega blockbuster Dhurandhar, filmmakers have begun not to bother about the length of their films. Set in the year 1980, Peddi runs for 189 minutes, which feels lengthy, but it showcases superb performances. Thus the central character played by Ram Charan, who immerses himself completely in the character of Peddi, a village youth excelling in sports like football and cricket. His love interest, played by Janhvi Kapoor, is the daughter of a minister, though the romance is kept minimal to maintain focus on the larger narrative.
Peddi is a simple village young man who is excellent in football and cricket. He is in love with a maiden (Jahnvi Kapoor) who is a minister’s daughter. Rather than focusing on Peddi’s love life, the narration is more about the core of the realistic subject.
Peddi fights for a railway station for their village
Jagapathi Babu as Appalasoori is an activist seeking a railway station in their village. However the officials scoff over this idea of having a station for an insignificant villagers. Peddi, his mentor-cum-coach Gournaidu (Shiva Rajkumar) and now even the entire village joins Appalasoori for this mission. Ultimately the village gets it’s own railway station.
Sort of reminding one of the films of 1950s and 60s where such subjects were depicted. For instance when Railway stations, post offices, etc were sought after issues. Shruti Hassan performs an item number “Hellallallo” for entertaining the villagers. Though she has no relevance or importance in the story of the film.
Cinematography by R. Rathnavelu is of the first order. Performance wise Ram Charan deserves a credit as he seems to have put in his best. He has not bothered about his image as a superstar in Telugu film industry and immersed himself fully in the character of Peddi.
The villagers unitedly join him for this cause
Director Buchi Babu Sana prefers realism over pure entertainment, blending social issues with drama. The central conflict revolves around Jagapathi Babu’s fight to establish a railway station in the village, a cause joined by Ram Charan, Shiva Rajkumar and the villagers. The film depicts clashes with police, government resistance and the hardships faced by rural communities deprived of basic amenities.
The cinematography by Ratnavelu is outstanding, capturing the grit and emotion of village life. Ram Charan delivers an excellent performance, while Janhvi Kapoor’s role feels underdeveloped. On the other hand, it seems like this is her way of paying a tribute to her mother Sridevi, who was as Telugu superstar.
Music by A.R. Rahman is surprisingly less memorable than expected, lacking the melodic strength usually associated with his work. Despite this, the film succeeds in making a political statement about the struggle for basic infrastructure and unity in adversity.
Overall, Peddi is a nostalgic yet socially relevant film that highlights the resilience of villagers fighting for their rights. While its excessive length weakens the impact, the performances and realism stand out. I would rate it 2.5 out of 5 stars. However had this film had a shorter runtime, it could easily have been worth 3 stars.
– Review by Jyothi Venkatesh
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Cast of Peddi:
Ram Charan as Peddi
Janhvi Kapoor as Achiyamma
Shiva Rajkumar as Gournaidu (Peddi’s wrestling coach)
Jagapathi Babu as Appalasoori
Divyenndu as Ram Bujji
Boman Irani as Kiran Singh Baiswal (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
Mahesh Achanta as a locomotive pilot
Shruti Haasan (Special appearance)
Credits of Peddi:
Production company – Vriddhi Cinemas
Produced by Venkata Satish Kilaru
Written & Directed by Buchi Babu Sana
Cinematography – R. Rathnavelu
Edited by Naveen Nooli
Music by A. R. Rahman
