Boman Irani praises Ram Charan's humility: He makes everyone feel comfortable

Actor Boman Irani praised his Peddi co-star Ram Charan's presence on the sets, saying the star makes everyone feel comfortable. Speaking to India Today, Boman said the film is far bigger and more visually ambitious than its trailer suggests. He also described it as an honest and sincere story rooted in India's interiors.

Boman said the film has a strong emotional core and unfolds through two parallel journeys. One is linked to Peddi's past. The other retraces that path two decades later through his own character's perspective. At the centre of the story, he said, is the question of why Peddi has become a legend among his own people.

How Ram Charan made everyone feel comfortable

Although Boman and Ram Charan did not share many scenes together, the actor spoke warmly about the star’s presence on set. “It’s a humbling experience. You just feel nice, even though we didn’t have scenes together. You just feel the aura around, that people working in that space should feel proud. Outcomes, we don’t know. What we put in, we know — heart, soul, talent, and love. Nothing else,” the actor said.

Recalling the filming, Boman spoke about scenes in which villagers follow Peddi through striking landscapes. He said the locations were so rich and dense that at times they felt like a 500-year-old jungle. He also said it was unfortunate that he and Ram Charan did not get to work more closely in scenes, though he did spend time with him.

On stardom and humility, Boman said actors can appear larger than life from a distance, but true stars know how to put others at ease. “When you look at someone who’s up there on posters, they become these larger-than-life characters. Mega Power Star, right? But when you meet them in person, you realise they’re all the same. And he makes it like that.”

He added that this matters even more for younger actors. Boman said a newcomer may already feel the pressure of working around a superstar, and if that presence is made heavier by ego, the performance can suffer. For him, humility from senior actors helps create a better space for everyone on set.

“There’s so much more than the trailer”

Speaking about the world of Peddi, Boman said the trailer has only shown a small part of the film’s scale and storytelling. “There’s so much more than the trailer, believe me, in this film. Because it’s a huge film when you think about it,” he said.

He added that his character works as the audience’s way into Peddi’s world.

Explaining that journey, Boman said his character is led by a man named Kurumaya, who offers to take him to Peddi. He said he first assumed Peddi would be nearby, but the journey kept stretching on, through a river, a valley, up a mountain and into the jungle, leaving him wondering where exactly he had been brought. Even then, he said, his character remained deeply curious about meeting Peddi.

According to him, the emotional centre of the film lies in discovering who Peddi is and why he has become a legend among his own people. “I’m going on a hunt for this character called Peddi, who has got legendary status nowhere else in the country except among his own people. Why is he such a legend? That’s the story,” he shared.

He said the story opens up gradually through Peddi’s character, his conflicts and his present-day reality. “It actually becomes a big film. When I heard it, I didn’t think it was such a big film,” the actor confessed.

Praising Buchi Babu Sana’s vision

He also credited director Buchi Babu Sana and cinematographer R. Rathnavelu for the film’s visual ambition. Boman said the two have given the film a strong visual identity. The actor added that what has been shown so far does not reflect the full scale of its imagery.

"I can’t work with disrespectful people”

Speaking about this stage of his career, Boman said a script by itself is no longer enough for him. He said the script, the people involved and the chance to do something new all matter together.

He said he now prioritises working with good people. The actor shared that, by and large, 99% of the people he has worked with have been good. However, if he comes across arrogance, he might turn down a project even if the script is strong. At this stage of his career, he said, being happy matters too, and he cannot work with people who are disrespectful or not good.

Boman also said sincerity away from the camera often shapes the work on screen. “Good people will come with good scripts only. Because eventually, if their heart is good, what they are trying to say will be good.” For him, cinema must also go beyond entertainment. “A movie should be extremely entertaining. It has to say something,” the actor said.

He then added with a laugh, “And the people I’m working with – especially the food – have to be good. It has to be good because I think we bond with good food also.”

“One of the most patriotic films I’ve worked on”

Calling Peddi one of his most meaningful films, Boman said it shines a light on communities and tribes from India’s interiors. “What this movie is all about is saying something very honest, sincere, and good. It’s a sports film. It’s one of the most patriotic films I’ve worked on. It’s telling you that in the interiors, there are people and there are tribes you may never have heard of, that need to be pulled out of this country and presented to the world.”

Calling Peddi one of the most meaningful films of his career, he said it is a sports film and one of the most patriotic projects he has worked on. He said the film shines a light on communities and tribes from India’s interiors that many people may never have heard of.

The film also features Shiva Rajkumar, Jagapathi Babu, Divyendu Sharma and Ravi Kishan in key roles, with a special appearance by Boman Irani.

Peddi is scheduled to release in cinemas on June 4, with premiere shows planned a day earlier. The film will arrive in multiple languages.