Peddi Gets OTT Shock

Mega Power Star Ram Charan’s Peddi earned over Rs 400 crore worldwide in theatres. Fans expected similar OTT success. But after its July 9 Netflix release, Peddi logged only 1.9 million views in 4 days and ranked 5th in Netflix’s global non-English top 10. Trade analysts call it a weak start for a big-budget pan-India film. Unlike theatrical runs, OTT success now depends on language reach, timing and competition. Despite hype, Peddi failed to trend in the top 3, surprising OTT giant who banked on Ram Charan’s global fanbase after RRR. The biggest setback was no Hindi dub on streaming. Peddi released in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam only. Hindi is India’s largest OTT market. Without it, the film missed crores of viewers and engagement dropped sharply compared to theatrical collections. By contrast, smaller films performed better. Sunny Deol’s Ikka got 4.4 million views in 3 days and topped India charts. Blast also stayed in the top 10. Experts say OTT needs wider language strategy. Without Hindi, even Rs 400cr blockbusters struggle to dominate Netflix rankings now. - Veda