Producer calls Peddi’s North America result a case study

Ram Charan-starrer “Peddi”, directed by Buchi Babu, has completed 11 days of its theatrical run. The film has grossed around $3.2 million in North America so far, and with the second Sunday collections included, the cumulative total is expected to reach approximately $3.3 million.

For a star of Ram Charan’s stature, these numbers are considered underwhelming. To put things into perspective, Jr NTR’s “Devara” grossed nearly $3.7 million in North America from premieres and the first day alone, highlighting the gap in overseas performance.

Speaking at a media interaction today, producer Venkata Satish Kilaru candidly acknowledged that the film’s North American performance was unexpected. He described it as a “case study” for future Telugu big-budget films and said the industry needs to reassess how upcoming projects are valued and sold in overseas markets.

According to the producer, “Peddi” appeared to have all the ingredients to perform strongly in North America, especially given its positive reception in domestic markets. However, the overseas audience responded differently, making its box-office trajectory a learning experience for the industry.

Kilaru also expressed surprise over the film’s weak performance in the Hindi belt. He felt that the film’s theme and storytelling style had the potential to connect with audiences in North India but failed to generate the expected traction.

Despite the overseas setback, the producer said the film is nearing the break-even mark across domestic territories. He added that the reduction in ticket prices, introduced from Sunday, has significantly boosted footfalls and improved collections.

“We reduced the ticket rates starting today, and the response has been tremendous. We are set to break even in all areas in India. ‘Peddi’ is a fantastic subject, and we spent lavishly without compromising anywhere to ensure it reaches audiences on a grand scale,” Venkata Satish Kilaru stated.