Peddi box office crash: What went wrong with Ram Charan and Janhvi’s Film

The theatrical run of director Buchi Babu Sana’s highly anticipated sports drama, Peddi, has quickly become a tale of two entirely different box office trajectories.

While the film’s domestic Telugu market has registered massive revenue milestones, trade analysts are highlighting major warning signs. Initial reporting from regional outlets like Movie Talkies indicates that a steep Day 2 decline, underwhelming performances in the North Indian Hindi belt, and building off-screen controversies are threatening the film’s long-term sustainability.

The Numbers: Regional Triumph Meets Hindi Market Collapse

On paper, the global figures for the Ram Charan and Janhvi Kapoor starrer look formidable.

Bolstered by massive advance bookings and ₹17.5 crore from paid previews, Peddi brought in a powerful ₹51 crore nett on its opening Thursday (June 4, 2026).

However, the momentum shifted quickly. On Friday, the film witnessed a sharp 45% drop in collections, bringing in roughly ₹25-27 crore nett. While the film managed to recover over the weekend in the South—pushing its 4-day domestic nett total to ₹157.15 crore—the critical point of failure remains the North Indian market.

Despite a highly publicized, multi-city North Indian promotional tour featuring events in Mumbai and Bhopal, the Hindi-dubbed version completely tanked, pulling in an estimated, dismal ₹11–12 crore across its entire four-day extended weekend. This weak reception severely limits Peddi’s ability to mimic the pan-Indian cinematic success of Ram Charan’s RRR.

Mixed Word-of-Mouth and Pacing Criticisms

The sharp variance in numbers stems from heavily divided audience reactions. While critics and fans have unanimously praised Ram Charan’s intense physical transformation and grounded performance as a rural athlete, the overall screenplay has faced harsh critiques.

Many viewers have noted pacing issues, a formulaic sports-drama structure, and a weak secondary character arc that has failed to generate positive, organic word-of-mouth outside of the core fan base.

The Visual Controversy: Janhvi Kapoor’s Character Outrage

Adding to the film’s structural box office hurdles is a massive social media backlash regarding the on-screen presentation of Janhvi Kapoor’s character, Achiyamma.

Audiences and industry insiders have publicly called out the director for the hyper-sexualization and objectification of Kapoor.

Critics pointed directly to her introductory scene, where the camera tracks across various parts of her body for an extended duration before revealing her face.

The backlash intensified after unverified, leaked private chats allegedly from Kapoor’s fan circles surfaced, suggesting the actress explicitly requested no “waist and cleavage shots,” and that Ram Charan himself intervened on set to protect her boundaries from intrusive camera angles.

Director’s Response: In an effort to mitigate public backlash and salvage the box office run, director Buchi Babu Sana issued an apology statement: “Cinema should entertain and inspire… it should never make anyone feel uncomfortable. We have heard the feedback regarding certain scenes in Peddi and have taken it seriously.” The studio has officially confirmed they will be trimming the controversial sequences from subsequent theatrical prints.

The Trajectory: Uphill Task Ahead

As Peddi enters its crucial first Monday, its trajectory remains highly uncertain. While the film’s home territories in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are keeping the global totals afloat, the complete lack of a pan-Indian audience and the negative press surrounding its cinematography present a steep uphill climb for the film to recoup its massive production budget.