Actor Ram Charan has unveiled a striking new look as he preps for his upcoming sports drama Peddi, directed by Buchi Babu Sana. The movie promises to showcase the star in an intense, rugged avatar—complete with long hair, a thick beard, and a sculpted physique. On Monday, Ram offered fans a first glimpse of his transformation by sharing a gym photo on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).

Captioning the post, Ram wrote, “Changeover for @peddimovie begins!! Pure grit. True joy.” In the picture, he sports a sleeveless workout tee, his hair tied back in a man bun, a long beard, and visibly ripped muscles—highlighting the physical transformation he’s undergone for the role. According to the makers, the actor has been pushing himself through rigorous training sessions to embody the raw energy and power his character requires. Ram is scheduled to begin an important shoot schedule for the film starting Tuesday.

Director Buchi Babu Sana couldn’t contain his excitement, commenting under the post, “Can’t wait for this changeover sir.” Fans were equally pumped, flooding the comments section with praise and fire emojis. One fan wrote, “Great physique now, keep going,” while another joked, “Those biceps look dangerous!”

Peddi marks Buchi Babu’s second directorial outing after his 2021 hit Uppena, which starred Vaisshnav Tej, Krithi Shetty, and Vijay Sethupathi. The first glimpse of Peddi teased Ram Charan playing cricket on dusty village grounds, sporting a rustic demeanour and accent. The project is backed by Venkata Satish Kilaru under the Vriddhi Cinemas banner and is presented by Mythri Movie Makers and Sukumar Writings.

The film also features an ensemble cast including Janhvi Kapoor, Shiva Rajkumar, Divyendu Sharma, and Jagapathi Babu. Music maestro AR Rahman has been roped in to compose the soundtrack. Peddi is slated to hit theatres on March 27 next year, coinciding with Ram Charan’s birthday.