Ram Charan's much-awaited sports action drama Peddi hit screens worldwide on June 4, 2026, and the opening signals are encouraging rather than record-breaking. Directed by Buchi Babu Sana with music by A.R. Rahman, the film entered release day on the back of one of the biggest pre-release theatrical valuations for a Telugu film, but it also carries the weight of a 350 crore budget and Ram Charan's need for a clean commercial hit.
India advance booking
Peddi closed its first-day advance at roughly 20.66 crore in India by the early hours of release day, with around 7.9 lakh tickets sold across 4,248 shows. That is a healthy pre-sale for a non-festival window, though it sits below the advance pace set by Ram Charan's previous outing, which had crossed 26 crore in presales. Worldwide advance, including overseas premieres, pushed past 35 crore gross before the first show.
US and overseas market
North America was the standout overseas territory ahead of release. Premiere advance sales reached around $784,000 from 533 locations, 1,647 shows and over 28,000 tickets, putting the film within reach of the $1 million premiere milestone. The Telugu states drove the domestic backbone of the deal, with reported theatrical business of about 135 crore including 48 crore from the Nizam region, while the overseas theatrical rights were locked at roughly 34 crore. In total, Peddi entered release as a worldwide pre-release business near 220 crore, among the highest solo figures of Ram Charan's career.
Footfall and occupancy
Telugu states recorded the strongest early occupancy, with premium-format screens and morning shows in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana filling fastest. Ticket-price hikes had been approved for the opening week in Andhra Pradesh, lifting per-show realisation. The Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam versions opened to lighter footfall, leaving room for word-of-mouth to drive the non-Telugu belts over the weekend.
First reviews
Early audience and trade reaction has been mixed-to-positive, with Ram Charan's lead performance the one consistent talking point. Several reviewers called it among his most committed turns, and A.R. Rahman's score and background music drew steady praise. The common criticisms point to a familiar first half built on commercial template, a stretched mid-section, and an underwritten role for Janhvi Kapoor. The stronger stretch runs from the pre-interval block to the climax, where the emotional and sports-drama beats land. Opening ratings have ranged from about 2.75 to 3.5 out of 5, leaving the film without a clear consensus on day one.
What to watch
Day 1 net actuals are still awaited and will be the first real test of whether the heavy advance and premium pricing convert into a number that justifies the valuation. With a worldwide break-even near 450 crore, Peddi needs a large opening day followed by a strong weekend hold, especially as the non-Telugu markets decide whether to follow the buzz. The next 24 hours of word-of-mouth will set the trajectory.