Prabhas’ latest film, The Raja Saab, is facing significant challenges at the box office, marking a disappointing trajectory for the ambitious horror comedy. Struggling to reach the ₹200-crore milestone globally, it has not met expectations during its first week of release.
On its opening day, The Raja Saab generated an impressive ₹100 crore, which indicated a strong start, especially during the pre-Pongal/Sankranti weekend. Unfortunately, this positive momentum quickly dissipated as the film experienced severe declines in daily earnings. After a dismal performance following the weekend, it could only accrue ₹5.65 crore net on Thursday, resulting in a total of ₹130.40 crore net (₹156.50 crore gross) from domestic screenings in India. The international market provided some relief, bringing in approximately $4 million, pushing its total global earnings to ₹191 crore gross.
The financial outlook for The Raja Saab remains bleak despite its initial success. With a staggering production budget of ₹350 crore, the film is currently far from recouping its costs, leaving it in a substantial deficit. In comparison, previous films featuring Prabhas, such as Adipurush and Saaho, had crossed the ₹300 crore mark within their first week. The Raja Saab is lagging significantly behind, showing a difference of over ₹110 crore.
Directed by Maruthi, The Raja Saab aimed to showcase Prabhas’ return to the family entertainer genre after a decade focused on mass action films. Fans anticipated a revival of “vintage Prabhas,” featuring a supporting cast that includes Sanjay Dutt, Malavika Mohanan, Nidhhi Agerwal, Riddhi Kumar, Boman Irani, and Zarina Wahab. However, the film’s debut was met with predominantly negative reviews from critics, hindering its box office performance.
As The Raja Saab continues its run, it will be closely watched to see if it can turn around its fortunes during an increasingly competitive theatrical landscape.