absolute fire in every frame
When a filmmaker who has himself proven that regional cinema can carry universal weight steps forward to praise another's work, it is worth pausing to understand why. Rishab Shetty, the force behind Kantara, offered specific and considered admiration for the Peddi trailer — a sports drama set in 1980s Andhra Pradesh in which Ram Charan plays a villager who turns athletics into an act of communal resistance. His words were not ceremony; they were one craftsman acknowledging another's seriousness of purpose, weeks before the film reaches audiences on June 4, 2026.
- The Peddi trailer landed and moved fast — within hours it had pulled one of Indian cinema's most credible voices into its orbit.
- Rishab Shetty's praise was surgical, not ceremonial: he named Ram Charan, Shiva Rajkumar, Janhvi Kapoor, and director Buchi Babu Sana each by their specific contribution.
- Behind the scenes, a quieter story of dedication was unfolding — Kapoor arrived at the final shoot day already having mastered choreography alone in Mumbai, while an exhausted Charan was still learning the steps.
- Charan called her a 'chhupa rustam' — a hidden warrior — and in doing so revealed the standard of commitment the entire production had demanded of itself.
- With Mythri Movie Makers, Vriddhi Cinemas, and cinematographer R. Rathnavelu behind it, Peddi is now carrying both industry momentum and a June 4 release date into a crowded theatrical landscape.
When the Peddi trailer dropped, it didn't wait long for the industry to respond. Rishab Shetty — whose own Kantara demonstrated what regionally rooted cinema could achieve at scale — took to social media to call it spectacular, and his praise was precise enough to mean something.
He focused first on Ram Charan, describing him as 'absolute fire in every frame' as the actor moves through the film as cricketer, wrestler, and runner. The story is set in 1980s Andhra Pradesh and follows a villager who channels sport into a form of communal resistance against a powerful antagonist — a premise that clearly resonated with Shetty's own sensibility. He also singled out Shiva Rajkumar's presence as a 'magnificent layer,' and noted Janhvi Kapoor's 'vibrant spark' in the role of Achiyyamma, Charan's love interest. Director Buchi Babu Sana received his acknowledgment too.
At the trailer launch, Charan offered a revealing portrait of Kapoor's work ethic. On the final day of shooting — after eighty-five consecutive days of filming — Kapoor arrived having already rehearsed the closing song's choreography extensively on her own time in Mumbai. Charan, exhausted and still learning the steps on set, watched her execute them without fault. He called her a 'chhupa rustam,' a hidden warrior, someone quietly mastering her craft while others were still catching up.
Backed by Mythri Movie Makers and Vriddhi Cinemas, with R. Rathnavelu behind the camera, Peddi is scheduled for theatrical release on June 4. Shetty's endorsement — grounded in his own experience of what it takes to make regional cinema resonate — signals that this is a film the industry is watching with genuine attention.
The trailer for Peddi dropped yesterday, and within hours, Rishab Shetty—the actor behind Kantara—was on social media calling it spectacular. He wasn't alone in his enthusiasm. The three-minute clip had already begun circulating through the industry, drawing reactions from people who recognized something worth watching.
Shetty's praise was specific and warm. He zeroed in on Ram Charan first, describing him as "absolute fire in every frame," moving through the film as a cricketer, wrestler, and runner in what the makers are positioning as a rustic sports drama set in 1980s Andhra Pradesh. The story follows a villager who uses athletics to unite his community against a more powerful antagonist—a premise that seems to have resonated with Shetty, who knows something about films that blend action with regional texture.
But Shetty didn't stop there. He acknowledged Shiva Rajkumar's presence on screen, calling it a "magnificent layer" to the film. Janhvi Kapoor, playing Charan's love interest Achiyyamma, earned her own compliment—Shetty noted her "vibrant spark," suggesting she brought energy to what could have been a conventional role. He also tipped his hat to director Buchi Babu Sana, whose vision seemed to be holding all these elements together.
At the trailer launch itself, Charan offered his own assessment of working with Kapoor. He described her as someone he'd never encountered before—someone willing to work with relentless focus. During the final song they shot together, after eighty-five consecutive days of filming, Kapoor had already practiced the choreography extensively on her own time in Mumbai. Charan, exhausted and still learning the steps on set, watched her execute it flawlessly. He called her a "chhupa rustam"—a hidden warrior—someone quietly perfecting her craft while others were still catching up. That kind of dedication, he suggested, was exactly what a film like Peddi demanded from everyone involved.
The production itself carries weight. Mythri Movie Makers and Vriddhi Cinemas are backing the project, and cinematographer R. Rathnavelu is handling the visual language. Shetty made sure to acknowledge the entire crew in his post, understanding that a film of this scope doesn't come together through individual effort alone.
Peddi is scheduled to hit theaters on June 4. The trailer has already begun its work—establishing the film's world, introducing audiences to its characters, and signaling to the industry that this is something worth paying attention to. Shetty's endorsement, coming from someone whose own film proved that regional cinema could achieve both critical and commercial success, carries particular weight. He wasn't offering empty praise. He was recognizing craft.
Notable Quotes
I have never seen such a diligent person in my life. She is like a 'chhupa rustam'—quietly learning it in Mumbai.— Ram Charan, on Janhvi Kapoor's work ethic
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does Rishab Shetty's opinion matter here? He's not a critic—he's an actor.
He's an actor whose last film became a phenomenon. When someone like that speaks about another film, the industry listens. It's peer recognition, not professional critique.
What struck you most about what he said?
The specificity. He didn't just say "great trailer." He named what each person brought—Ram Charan's intensity, Shiva Rajkumar's gravitas, Janhvi's energy. That's someone who actually watched it carefully.
Ram Charan's comment about Janhvi practicing in Mumbai while he was still learning on set—what does that tell us?
It tells us the film demanded something from its actors that they couldn't phone in. Eighty-five days of shooting is grueling. The fact that she was still preparing in her own time suggests she understood the material required that level of commitment.
Is this just industry people being nice to each other?
Possibly. But Shetty could have said nothing. He chose to be detailed and generous. That's different from obligatory praise.
What's the real story underneath the trailer launch?
That a regional sports drama with serious production backing is being taken seriously by people who've already proven they understand what audiences want. The trailer isn't just marketing—it's a signal that this film believes in itself.