Peddi is the ultimate barometer for Ram Charan's "Global Star" status following the success of RRR. That's a good thing, given how "Chikiri Chikiri" has got everyone buzzing - 200 million+ views and then some - but things are starting to get a bit hairy. On February 4, the producers announced they're abandoning the March 26 slot that Pawan Kalyan's Ustaad Bhagat Singh has now scooped up - and they're instead opting for a release on April 30, 2026 worldwide. It's a smart move to grab the summer holidays slot, but to be honest, with less than 80 days to go - and still no sign of wrapping the film - there's a sense of unease building up in Film Nagar.
The real problem isn't just the shoot schedule, which is looking a bit tight - it's the sheer complexity of a Buchi Babu Sana directed - and yes, we mean perfectionist - project. We're talking scripts yet to be done and some tough action scenes still to be shot. And let's not forget when you add in Ram Charan, just having had twin babies on February 1, it's not just a tight schedule, it's also a very personal one. Everyone's rooting for the actor, but - especially when you consider the scale of dubbing and VFX that needs to be done - the task on hand for the team is daunting.
Then there's the "Rahman Variable". AR Rahman did get everyone talking with his score teaser and "Chikiri Chikiri," but let's be honest, his background scores are always pretty massive undertakings. You can't just plug these things in and hope they work - they need building. And with the final sound mix usually being one of the last things to get sorted before the DCPs are sent out, the pressure on the Oscar-winner to create something special in record time is intense.
In the end, Peddi has ambitions that go far beyond your average rural drama - it's supposed to be a big 'mass' film as well as a soulful one. If they do manage to make the April 30 deadline, the May Day weekend will be all theirs. But if Buchi Babu Sana and Rahman's perfectionism clash with the calendar, we might yet see another shuffle of the release dates. For now, "Chikiri Chikiri" is keeping us all hanging on, but the real test is yet to come - as soon as the cameras stop rolling and the real work in post-production starts.