Media365
Ram Charan starrer Peddi released on Netflix on July 9 in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam. The sports drama’s Hindi version is expected to stream from August, following a 8-week gap from its theatrical release. Peddi grossed over ₹400 crore worldwide. However, as the film released on the big screens, it faced massive criticism for the way the character of Achiyyamma (played by Janhvi Kapoor) was portrayed.
Watchers pointed out that Janhvi’s character has been overly sexualised in the movie, using camera angles and costumes. In one scene, Ram Charan’s character Peddi uses a power cut as cover to forcefully kiss Achiyyamma. It drew the sharpest criticism, with many viewers online terming the sequence “sexual assault”. Following the outrage, director Buchi Babu Sana confirmed reworking on the controversial scenes featuring Jahnvi and the makers issued a new cut in cinema halls. The same print has been released on streaming. After the controversy died down, and the movie hit OTT, viewers are praising Ram Charan’s dedication to the role of Peddi and his overall performance in the movie, including his standout body transformation. The RRR star’s performance has also put him in the race for a National Award win in the Best Actor category.
Set in 1980s rural Andhra Pradesh, Peddi follows the journey of a lower-caste villager (played by Ram Charan) who turns to wrestling to earn recognition and dignity for his community. The film also features Shiva Rajkumar, Jagapathi Babu, Divyenndu and Boman Irani in supporting roles. After the success of Peddi, Ram Charan is said to be collaborating with director Sukumar. The duo earlier worked in Rangasthalam together.
