Ram Charan-starrer ‘Peddi’ releases on June 4. Directed by Buchi Babu Sana and set in 1980s rural Andhra Pradesh, it tells the story of a villager who unites his community through sports. The film has a reported budget of ₹300 crore, features music by A.R. Rahman, and co-stars Janhvi Kapoor and Shiva Rajkumar. Before stepping into theatres, here are five films that show exactly how Ram Charan built his career to this point.
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1. Chirutha (2007)
Chirutha was Ram Charan’s acting debut, directed by Puri Jagannadh. He played a young man who goes to jail after confessing to a murder he did not commit. The film was a box office hit and won him the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut (South). Audiences noticed his screen presence, action sequences, and dancing ability right from the first frame. He was 22 years old at the time of release. Chirutha set the template for the kind of mass entertainer Ram Charan would continue to deliver throughout his career.
2. Magadheera (2009)
Two years after his debut, Ram Charan starred in Magadheera, directed by S.S. Rajamouli. The fantasy action drama follows the reincarnation of a warrior named Kala Bhairava, played by Ram Charan, who is reborn in the modern era as a motorcyclist named Harsha. He played both roles in the same film. Kajal Aggarwal played the female lead. Made on a budget of ₹35 crore, Magadheera grossed over ₹150 crore worldwide and became the highest-grossing Telugu film at the time of its release. Ram Charan won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor (Telugu) for this performance. The film broke multiple box office records.
3. Rangasthalam (2018)
Of all Ram Charan’s films, Rangasthalam is the one most critics and fans point to as his finest performance. Directed by Sukumar, the period action drama is set in a 1980s village. Ram Charan played Chitti Babu, a partially deaf man who grows suspicious that his village president poses a threat to his elder brother. Made on a budget of ₹60 crore, the film grossed an estimated ₹216 crore worldwide. It was the highest-grossing Telugu film of 2018. Ram Charan won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor (Telugu) for the second time for this role, along with the Best Actor award at the Zee Cine Awards Telugu. The film also won the National Film Award for Best Audiography. Buchi Babu Sana, who is now directing Peddi, served as a writer and assistant director on Rangasthalam. That connection makes this film especially relevant viewing before Peddi.
4. Dhruva (2016)
Dhruva gave Ram Charan one of his most physically demanding roles. He played Dhruva, an IPS officer on a mission to arrest a powerful criminal scientist named Siddharth Abhimanyu. The film is a remake of the Tamil hit Thani Oruvan. Made on a budget of ₹55 crore, Dhruva grossed approximately ₹101 crore worldwide at the box office. Critics noted it as one of Ram Charan’s fittest and most committed physical performances. The film proved he could carry a straight-faced cop thriller without relying on fantasy or period settings.
5. RRR (2022)
RRR is Ram Charan’s biggest film by every measure. Directed once again by S.S. Rajamouli, it is a fictional story based on two real Telugu freedom fighters. Ram Charan played Alluri Sitarama Raju alongside Jr NTR, who played Komaram Bheem. Made with a reported budget of ₹400-500 crore, RRR grossed over ₹1,200 crore worldwide. It became one of the highest-grossing Indian films of all time. The film’s song “Naatu Naatu” won Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 2023 Oscars. RRR also won the Golden Globe for Best Non-English Language Film. Ram Charan was subsequently inducted into the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Actors Branch. The film was released in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada, making it a true pan-India release.