As Peddi finally stormed into theaters on Thursday, Janhvi Kapoor kicked off her big release day with a visit to the sacred Tirumala temple in Tirupati to seek blessings. Directed by Buchi Babu Sana and starring Ram Charan in the lead, Janhvi’s highly-anticipated Telugu venture opened to a wave of euphoria nationwide, with ecstatic fans spearheading massive celebrations from the early hours of the morning.
A spiritual start before a big release
Janhvi Kapoor has never hidden how much the Tirumala temple means to her. Over the years, the spiritual spot has become her go-to sanctuary whenever she hits a major milestone, whether it’s celebrating a birthday or seeking blessings right before a big movie launch.
Early Thursday morning, videos surfaced online showing the actor starting her trek up the mountain from the Alipiri footpath. Alongside her aunt, actor Maheshwari, Janhvi decided to take on the entire climb barefoot. Keeping things completely low-key, she wore a simple kurta-pyjama, had her hair tied up in a bun, and kept her earphones in as she tackled the grueling 3,550-step path. Along the way, clips showed her taking quick breathers and warmly greeting fellow devotees who recognized her on the trail.
Once she conquered the mountain, Janhvi stepped out in a gorgeous purple silk saree early morning. She tied the elegant look together with matching jewellkery, complete with a necklace, earrings, bangles, and a waist belt along with a bindi and a neat half-up hairstyle. It didn’t take long for the videos to go viral.
Peddi release celebrations begin across theatres
While Janhvi was offering prayers in Tirupati, the ground reality across movie theaters had already turned into a full-blown festival. Over at Hyderabad’s iconic Sree Ramulu Theatre, Ram Charan’s wife, Upasana Kamineni Konidela, skipped the private screenings to watch the film directly with the fans. Viral videos caught her completely caught up in the madness, throwing confetti into the air and cheering right alongside a packed crowd the moment Ram Charan flashed on screen.
The energy was just as wild in Bengaluru. Hours before the first projector even turned on, massive crowds took over the streets outside theaters, flanking giant cut-outs of the superstar. The pre-show celebrations quickly turned the sidewalks into a dance floor, complete with non-stop chanting and firecrackers to officially welcome the film’s release.
Strong opening for the sports drama
Peddi has made an explosive debut at the box office. The anticipation reached a fever pitch just before release when the Telangana government cleared the way for special early screenings and adjusted ticket pricing, setting the stage for a monumental opening day.
Early trade numbers indicate the film is already a runaway train, raking in a staggering ₹10.97 crore net in India by 11 AM on its first Friday, with the native Telugu version doing the heavy lifting.
Industry insiders reveal thatPeddi has been crafted on a colossal canvas, carrying a staggering production budget of approximately ₹350 crore. Because of the massive scale of the investment, box office analysts calculate that the movie will need to slide past the ₹500 crore milestone worldwide to secure status as a major commercial hit.
Helmed by director Buchi Babu Sana, the high-octane sports action drama features an original musical score by maestro A. R. Rahman. Ram Charan commands the screen in the titular role, paired alongside Janhvi Kapoor, who steps into the character of Achiyamma. The film also stars Shiva Rajkumar, Jagapathi Babu, Boman Irani, and Divyenndu.