Prabhas Fans Replace Om Raut with Maruthi as New Target for Trolls

Writer-director Maruthi landed what many considered a golden opportunity when he was signed to direct Prabhas for The Raja Saab. However, the film, which released on January 9, failed to meet expectations and ended up being a major disappointment at the box office, making it a missed opportunity for the director.

Ahead of the film’s release, Maruthi had drawn attention by confidently announcing his villa number and address, reflecting his strong belief in the project. But after The Raja Saab was rejected by audiences, he soon became the subject of severe trolling on social media. While most Sankranthi releases performed well and continued their decent run even after the holiday season, The Raja Saab stood out as the lone underperformer.

Since then, Maruthi has been facing relentless criticism from hardcore Prabhas fans. Platforms like X (formerly Twitter) are flooded with posts blaming him for wasting a crucial opportunity, particularly criticising the presentation of Prabhas and the weak second half of the film. Despite the backlash, Maruthi has chosen to stay silent and has not responded to the trolls. Sources close to the director reveal that he has moved on from the project and has already begun work on his next film, which is expected to be announced soon.

Meanwhile, a producer has offered an interesting perspective on the trolling trend. “Earlier, Bollywood director Om Raut was the primary target of Prabhas fans whenever Prabhas delivered a hit or whenever superior VFX was seen in other films. His work in Adipurush was constantly compared and mocked for years,” the producer said.

He added, “Now, that anger has shifted to Telugu director Maruthi. With most Sankranthi releases performing well except The Raja Saab, fans are finding every opportunity to attack him on social media. This trend may continue for some time.”