The countdown is on for one of the most eagerly awaited releases of the year, Peddi, with Ram Charan, Shivarajkumar, and Janhvi Kapoor in the lead roles. With only two days left for the movie's theatrical release date on June 4, bookings have been made in some cities, such as Bengaluru, India.
The movie has created a lot of buzz among moviegoers since its announcement, and the booking of pre-screenings has increased the excitement of fans even more. Unlike many of the big-budget movies recently, in which ticketing in Bengaluru has been met with criticism for overpriced tickets, Peddi is taking a more audience-friendly approach to the pricing, which will be more palatable for the audience in Bengaluru.
One of the biggest talking points surrounding the film’s booking is its relatively cheap ticket prices. When booking for another major South Indian release that opened earlier this year, multiplex tickets in Bengaluru had started to go up by ₹900 to ₹1,000, while single-screen theatres were charging ₹500 to ₹600. Peddi has taken a different route.
Most single-screen theatres in Bengaluru are offering tickets in the ₹200 to ₹250 range, and so the film is accessible to a wider audience. Air-conditioned theatres have divided tickets into ₹300, ₹250, and ₹200 depending on seating preferences. These rates are far below those for several recent pan-Indian movies.
The film will be released in four languages in Bengaluru: Telugu, Kannada, Hindi, and Tamil. As of June 2 morning, 12 Kannada shows had already been scheduled, and exhibitors are expected to add more screenings based on demand. Since Telugu is the film's original language, it naturally has the highest number of shows. Tamil viewers have a couple of screenings, but Hindi audiences only have a few.
Booking has already started in a few single-screen theatres across the city and at the popular AMB Cinemas chain. Some major multiplex chains, including PVR and INOX, were yet to open bookings at the time of reporting, but industry observers expect more screens and show timings to be added soon.
Moviegoers looking to catch the first-day-first-show experience will have a lot of options. Some theatres have already arranged early morning screenings beginning at 6:30 AM to cater to the huge fan base Ram Charan and the rest of the cast have.
At AMB Cinemas, the ticket prices range from ₹400 to ₹600, depending on the format and seating category. Although a luxury multiplex, these prices are more reasonable than what we have seen in recent blockbuster movies.
Directed by Buchi Babu Sana, Peddi is based on the inspiring story of a rural athlete and is expected to be a drama and emotional film. Its entire cast is one big ensemble: Shivarajkumar, Janhvi Kapoor as the female lead, and Divyenndu as the antagonist. Boman Irani and Jagapathi Babu also play important roles.
The film's music by A. R. Rahman adds further excitement. Produced by Mythri Movie Makers, it is expected to become one of the biggest releases of the season.
With low-cost tickets, multiple language options, and a star-studded cast, Peddi is well placed to enjoy an excellent opening at the box office when it hits the theatres on June 4.
