Peddi, directed by Buchi Babu Sana and starring Ram Charan and Janhvi Kapoor, has emerged as the highest-grossing South Indian film of 2026. The film was released in theatres on June 4, with paid premiere shows held a day earlier.
According to the makers, Peddi has earned more than ₹315 crore worldwide within five days of its release. The production team announced the milestone on social media, stating that the film had crossed the ₹315-crore mark globally. With this performance, Peddi has become both the highest-grossing Telugu film and the highest-grossing South Indian film of the year so far.
The sports drama follows the story of a marginalised man who fights for the dignity and rights of his community through sport. Alongside Ram Charan and Janhvi Kapoor, the film features performances by Shiva Rajkumar, Jagapathi Babu, Divyenndu and Boman Irani.While the film opened to largely positive reviews, it later faced criticism from some viewers over the portrayal of the female lead and certain scenes involving Janhvi Kapoor's character. Following the backlash, director Buchi Babu Sana issued an apology and said the scenes that drew objections would be removed from the film.
Despite the controversy and mixed audience reactions, Peddi has continued to perform strongly at the box office. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, actor Jagapathi Babu said that negative reviews had not affected the film's commercial performance and may have contributed to increased public attention.
The film's box-office success highlights strong audience turnout across domestic and international markets, even as discussions around its content continue.
Sources- Hindustan Times
