The reported remuneration has sparked discussion within industry circles, especially in the wake of the film receiving a mixed response.
Director Buchi Babu Sana is reportedly among the biggest beneficiaries of the massive scale of Peddi. Industry sources claim that the young filmmaker has taken home nearly Rs 30 crore as remuneration for handling the story, screenplay, dialogues and direction of the Ram Charan-starrer.
“Buchi Babu has reportedly earned around Rs 30 crore for Peddi, which is an extraordinary figure for a director making only his second film,” says a trade source. According to him, producer Satish placed immense faith in the filmmaker's vision and backed the project without hesitation.
“There is no denying that Buchi Babu was directing a top star like Ram Charan and spent nearly two years shaping the film. But even then, the reported remuneration is remarkably high by industry standards,” he adds.
For comparison, the director is believed to have earned around Rs 2-3 crore for his debut blockbuster Uppena, which featured newcomers and was produced on a modest budget of around Rs 30 crore. With Peddi reportedly mounted on a staggering budget of nearly Rs 300 crore, Buchi Babu's paycheck appears to have grown proportionately.
However, the reported remuneration has sparked discussion within industry circles, especially in the wake of the film receiving a mixed response. The director also recently issued an apology following criticism over the portrayal of Janhvi Kapoor's character in the film.
Typically, established commercial directors such as Boyapati Srinu, Sukumar, and Anil Ravipudi are said to command remuneration in the range of Rs 40-50 crore per project. If reports about Buchi Babu's earnings are accurate, he has already moved close to that elite bracket with just his second feature film.
Industry observers point out that Ram Charan's approval of the script significantly elevated the project's scale and market value. Once the star came on board, everything else reportedly fell into place, including the director's impressive remuneration package.
