Alright Bollywood junkies, buckle up because Ram Charan and Janhvi Kapoor's 'Peddi' just zipped through the censor board, but not without a few eyebrow-raising tweaks! The much-hyped Pan-India entertainer, slated for a June 4 release, has officially received its U/A 16+ certificate. But trust the CBFC to keep things spicy, asking for some rather specific modifications.
CBFC’s Red Pen: Cuss Words, States, and a Middle Finger
So, what got the Central Board of Film Certification’s knickers in a twist, you ask? A whole bunch of words, it seems! The makers of Peddi were told to mute or modify terms like ‘Loudesh’, ‘Bokka’, ‘Lambdi kodaka’, ‘Dongamunda kodaka’, and ‘Kalchi padi denguta’. And yes, the rather infamous ‘M***r C**d’ also got the chop. Honestly, some of these feel like standard fare in a gritty action film, but hey, rules are rules, right?
But wait, there's more. Even a song wasn't spared; ‘Saruku saman’ in the ‘Chikiri Chikiri’ track needed a tweak. The real head-scratcher for me, though, is the deletion of the word ‘Rajasthan’ and a reference to a particular community in the second half. Now that's a new one! Wonder what context necessitated that decision. On the visual front, thankfully, the action and violence remain intact – full paisa vasool there, I hope. The only visual change was covering a shot of a middle finger with CG. Small mercies, I guess!
3 Hours of Ram Charan & Janhvi: Is India Ready?
Despite the linguistic gymnastics, the CBFC handed over the certificate on May 22, confirming a runtime of a whopping 189 minutes. That’s 3 hours and 9 minutes, folks! In an age of crisp, sub-2.5-hour films, Peddi is clearly going for the epic experience. Let’s hope every minute is worth it, especially with Oscar-winner A R Rahman on music duty. His compositions alone could carry a film for hours, pakka!
The film boasts a seriously strong ensemble, with Ram Charan and Janhvi Kapoor leading the charge, supported by powerhouses like Shiva Rajkumar, Jagapathi Babu, Divyenndu, and Boman Irani. Directed by Buchi Babu Sana and produced by Venkata Satish Kilaru, this one has big ambitions, with Jio Studios handling North India distribution and an IMAX release planned. Ram Charan himself revealed at the trailer launch that he suffered a cartilage tear during the kushti and pehelwan shoots because director Buchi Babu Sana insisted on real pehelwans. "It's worth it, and it's a beautiful memory of Peddi," he said. That's dedication, yaar! With such a long runtime and intense shoot stories, this film better deliver on its promise. June 4 can't come soon enough!
