‘Peddi’ Starts Like A Monster: Beats Kalki & Devara

For the longest time, many believed Kalki 2898 AD and Devara had set an untouchable benchmark in North America premieres. For the kind of sales they made in just 24 hours after opening the counters, the number is very high. But now, Peddi has entered the race aggressively, and we have to say that it’s a monstrous start for sure.

Peddi, featuring mega hero Ram Charan in the titular role, and directed by Uppena fame Buchi Babu Sana, has reportedly opened with a staggering $158K premiere pre-sales in just 24 hours. These numbers are beating the opening day advance ticket sales of films like Kalki ($134K), Devara ($122K), and Pushpa 2 ($85K), thus becoming the top ticket-selling film in just 24 hours of the sale opening.

What makes this more interesting is the kind of film Peddi is. This is not a futuristic sci-fi spectacle like Kalki. It is not a sequel riding on an established brand like Pushpa 2. Nor is it carrying the massive action franchise aura of Devara. But still, the film has managed to create extraordinary curiosity in overseas markets purely through its promotional content.

The wrestling backdrop teaser worked big time. But the real game changer turned out to be the “Chikiri” song. That song travelled beyond Telugu audiences and connected strongly with the North Indian social media crowd too. Suddenly, Peddi stopped looking like just another Telugu rural sports drama. It started feeling like a real pan-India film, which is what the trade circuits are also saying.

Hope, with a good buzz and outcome, Peddi continues this vibe into the release times as well.