As we get closer to the June 4, 2026 premiere, Shiva has stoked the fires with a simple but pointed desire: see Ram Charan with a National in hand. You could say it has given the already loud campaign a bit of an extra charge.
He made no bones about it at a get-together in Bengaluru with some of the press and fans. “I wish Ram Charan wins the National Award for Peddi,” he said. That sort of open support is what makes a pre-release push feel like something more.
Why this endorsement matters
You have to time it right. The last thing we saw from Charan was S. Shankar’s Game Changer, which didn’t quite land with critics or the box office (you can still find it on Prime Video). So in a way, Peddi is a chance to make a statement and show what he can do.
Buchi Babu Sana has made a film with some bite to it. But if you look past the action, Peddi is sold as a story of a man finding himself, where there is as much feeling in the performance as there is in the rivalry or the romance.
What Shiva Rajkumar revealed
In the film, Shiva is Gournaidu. He has a dynamic with Charan’s character that is a little like a mentor. If the trailer is any indication, he is the one who gives the movie its emotional backbone.
He has no doubts about the work Charan has put in. “I truly believe Ram Charan should win a National Award for this film. His physical transformation and performance are outstanding,” he told us, and noted that the actor was at it for close to two years without missing a beat.
Some of the key points from Rajkumar’s side of things:
– A nod to a coach-player type of rapport
– The connection between Peddi and Gournaidu is the heart of it
– Two years of hard prep from Charan
Plot and cast highlights
You have a young man from the village who is a force in cricket, wrestling, running – you name it. Life gets in the way and he has to be put to the test, making him put his talent to use and give his passion some direction.
Then there is the rest of the company. Janhvi Kapoor is there with Ram, and you have Boman Irani, Jagapathi Babu, Divyenndu and of course Shiva in the mix. It all points to a film with some weight to it.
Release plan and timeline
They have been a bit fluid with the dates. First it was March 27, then we were looking at April 30, 2026. Some production details and the fact Yash’s Toxic was put off meant they finally put a pin in June 4, 2026.
The promo trail has been non-stop. The stars have been out in front of the public, and the stop in Bengaluru was a case in point – very hands-on and in keeping with the film’s vibe.
What comes next for Ram Charan
Once Peddi is behind him, he is in for a project with Sukumar, RC17 for now. After Rangasthalam, another one of these will have the fans in a lather for weeks to come.
If the film is as good as the trailer and Rajkumar make it out to be, it may well be his most up-close-and-personal hit. We can let the awards talk be what it is; the word on the street is that people will be making up their own minds.
