Double Century, Double Trouble: Peddi Hits Rs 200 Crore Amid Storm Over Janhvi Scenes

Ram Charan's Peddi , directed by Buchi Babu Sana , has crossed the Rs 200 crore mark in worldwide gross over its opening weekend, even as the film battles mixed reviews and a full-blown controversy over its treatment of Janhvi Kapoor 's character.

Released on June 4 across 3,000 screens, the rural sports drama opened to over Rs 50 crore on its first day, before collections softened. By Day 3, the film had earned Rs 28.85 crore net in India, taking the domestic net total to Rs 125.25 crore . Worldwide earnings stood at Rs 191.07 crore by Saturday, driven in part by overseas support, with the overseas tally reaching Rs 42 crore . Sunday is tracking live with Rs 15.63 crore collected in the first half of the day alone, across over 5,600 shows at 38.6 per cent occupancy. Trade circles expect the weekend total to settle in the Rs 240-250 crore range worldwide.

The Telugu states , particularly Andhra , remain the film's strongest performers, with Nizam also registering steady numbers. However, the Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam markets have yet to show the momentum needed for a sustained run. Made on a reported budget of Rs 350 crore , Peddi needs around Rs 500 crore worldwide to be considered a comfortable hit, a target that remains within reach but is far from assured. Monday's hold will be closely watched.

Off-screen, the film has been roiled by a sharp controversy. Viewers accused the director of normalising harassment and failing to treat the female lead with basic respect. One scene in particular, where Ram Charan's character uses a power cut as cover to forcefully kiss Janhvi Kapoor's character Achiyyamma , drew the sharpest criticism, with many viewers terming the sequence a depiction of sexual assault . The backlash intensified after Kapoor reportedly liked a social media post criticising her own role. The revised version of the film, with the controversial portions removed, began screening from evening shows on June 6 . Director Buchi Babu Sana issued a public apology , saying the film should never make anyone feel uncomfortable or disrespected, and pledged responsible storytelling going forward.