The anticipation surrounding Mega Power Star Ram Charan’s upcoming rural action drama Peddi has hit fever pitch following its chart-busting music and a roaring trailer. Directed by Buchi Babu Sana, the massive project is produced by Venkata Satish Kilaru under the Vriddhi Cinemas banner and presented by Mythri Movie Makers and Sukumar Writings.
As the film gears up for a grand worldwide theatrical release on June 4, acclaimed Director of Photography (DoP) Rathnavelu sat down to share exclusive insights into building the visual world of Peddi, working with Ram Charan, and capturing intense action.
Recreating 1980s Vizianagaram
When director Buchi Babu Sana first narrated the script, Rathnavelu was instantly drawn to its intricate world-building. The story unfolds nearly 40 years ago in Vizianagaram—a city that is completely modernized today. To transport audiences back in time, the team meticulously recreated vintage streets, a clock tower, and an old sugar factory based on historical references and imaginative design.
Rathnavelu on the Visual Tone: "For Rangasthalam, I chose a golden brown tint which became a benchmark for period films in India. For Peddi, we wanted to recreate the exact color palette and organic textures that people in 1980s Vizianagaram would have experienced. Every frame is designed to establish a specific emotional mood."
The Biggest Technical & Physical Challenges
1. The Floodlit Night Cricket Match
Peddi is structurally a sports-based drama, and the second cricket match serves as a pivotal narrative turning point. Rathnavelu suggested shooting this high-stakes sequence entirely at night using authentic 1980s-style floodlights. Ram Charan heavily praised this creative choice, which transforms the match from a simple game into an intense visual battle between two rival teams.
2. Authentic Wrestling (Kusti) Sequences
To portray a true Pahalwan (wrestler), Ram Charan underwent a grueling physical transformation, meticulously sculpting every muscle. The camera captures these raw, physical sequences with immense detail, showcasing a degree of physical dedication that is visible in every frame of the teasers and trailers.
3. Mixing Film Negative with Digital
For a significant portions of the movie shot in Delhi, Rathnavelu abandoned modern digital cameras and shot on traditional film negative without artificial lighting. This marks his return to celluloid after 17 years, chosen explicitly to give the traveling sequences a gritty, hyper-realistic tone.
A Look into the Content and Collaborations
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The Rise of Ram Charan: Comparing Rangasthalam to Peddi, the cinematographer noted a massive evolution in the actor. While Chitti Babu was grounded, Peddi demands an entirely different emotional spectrum. Rathnavelu promises that the final 30 minutes of the film are a visual grandeur loaded with heavy emotional highs that will leave the audience deeply moved.
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The A.R. Rahman Factor: Marking his third collaboration with the maestro after Robo and Lingaa, Rathnavelu stated that A.R. Rahman’s background score elevates the cinematography. He emphasized that a great DoP must possess a strong musical sense to complement the director's vision.
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A Prodigy's Contribution: The cinematographer proudly shared that his son, who studied cinematography in Canada, contributed significantly to Peddi. He independently filmed a crucial portion of the wrestling sequence and assisted with color grading.
Box Office and Production Value
The cinematographer extended his gratitude to debutant producer Venkata Satish Kilaru, describing him as a passionate filmmaker who routinely got emotional in the editing room while watching the output. To do justice to the scale of the film, Peddi has been optimized for premium formats like IMAX to ensure a cutting-edge visual experience when it debuts globally this June.
