The Raja Saab Draws Meagre ₹9 Crore in Telugu States

Despite generating strong pre-release hype, Prabhas’ latest film The Raja Saab has opened to disappointing collections in the Telugu states. The horror-comedy reportedly earned around ₹9 crore net in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on its first day, sending shockwaves through trade circles.

A leading distributor said that Prabhas failed to draw the expected footfalls in the Telugu states and that the poor opening surprised the trade. He added that the actor’s attempt at horror comedy did not resonate with his core fan base. According to him, Prabhas does not fit naturally into the horror-comedy space, and many fans avoided theatres in several towns.

Prabhas reportedly wanted to experiment with comedy and allotted dates to director Maruthi with that intention. However, the response suggests the experiment has not paid off so far. A trade source pointed out that fans had different expectations from Prabhas and that even fragmented premiere shows failed to boost opening-day numbers.

Director Maruthi has also come under criticism for the film’s execution. Trade insiders feel his uneven narration, flat humour, and over-reliance on glamour failed to capitalise on Prabhas’ star appeal. A distributor said Maruthi could not present Prabhas in a compelling manner and relied too heavily on routine jokes and multiple heroines.

The situation has further worried trade circles as The Raja Saab was reportedly sold for over ₹150 crore in the two Telugu states. With such a high pre-release business, the film now faces an uphill task. However, exhibitors remain hopeful that the Sankranti holidays and any positive word of mouth could still help the film recover in the coming days.