AR Rahman has never been one to mince words, and the Oscar-winning composer just dropped a truth bomb about Ram Charan’s latest film ‘Peddi’. During a promotional chat with director Buchi Babu Sana, Rahman admitted he had serious doubts about whether the ‘RRR’ star could pull off his role in the sports drama.
The film, which hit theatres on June 4, features Ram Charan alongside Janhvi Kapoor in a story about a multi-sport athlete. But before he saw the final cut, Rahman wasn’t entirely convinced.
Rahman’s honest confession about Ram Charan
During their conversation, Rahman got candid about his initial skepticism. “While watching some scenes, I wondered how he would pull them off and connect with those emotions,” the composer revealed, according to sources close to the production.
But all that doubt vanished once Rahman saw Ram Charan’s performance on screen. “The way Ram Charan completely became the character was remarkable. Making a fictional role feel so genuine in emotion and essence was truly impressive to me,” he said.
Rahman specifically pointed out how the actor handled emotionally demanding moments, including a romantic sequence that caught his attention. “Even the kissing sequence felt effortless. It looked like he truly lived the character, and his hard work was visible in every frame,” he added.
Buchi Babu Sana draws parallels to Shankar
The conversation took an interesting turn when Buchi Babu Sana compared Rahman’s work to filmmaker Shankar’s iconic 90s films. “Actually, I saw parallels between (you and) Shankar garu. Shankar garu, for Gentleman, there’s a theme and intention for the hero, but the film is also commercial. This is different because it’s about sports,” he said.
Buchi Babu went on to explain how ‘Peddi’ reminded him of Shankar’s classics like ‘Indian’ and ‘Mudhalvan’. “This film explores sports while also carrying a meaningful purpose. It shows a character striving for something greater, even if it is for a small cause connected to humanity or his village,” he noted.
Rahman also connected the film’s themes to his own philosophy about limitations. “It reflects the strength of the human spirit. Our minds often decide our limits. If you believe you can only lift 10 kg, that becomes your boundary. But if you believe you can lift 100 kg your possibilities expand,” he said.
Box office performance and fan reactions
Despite the positive buzz, ‘Peddi’ hasn’t managed to overtake Ram Charan’s previous release ‘Game Changer’ in advance ticket sales. Industry reports suggest ‘Game Changer’ collected a whopping Rs 26.8 crore before release and sold around 9.3 lakh tickets.
Still, fans have been pouring in with reactions to the sports drama, with many praising Ram Charan’s transformation into a character who excels across cricket, wrestling, and sprinting. Rahman summed it up perfectly: “A character like Peddi breaks those barriers. He excels across cricket, kushti and other sports, showing how much a person can accomplish when there are no mental walls.”
Whether ‘Peddi’ will become one of the biggest blockbusters of Ram Charan’s career post-‘RRR’ remains to be seen, but if Rahman’s final verdict is anything to go by, the film might just have the emotional depth to connect with audiences.