Prabhas' 'The Raja Saab' Opens Strong but Loses Steam at Box Office
Audiences eagerly awaited the release of 'The Raja Saab' in early 2026. This Telugu film, directed by Maruthi and starring Prabhas in the lead role, hit theaters worldwide on January 9, 2026. The makers chose this date to align with the festive Sankranti season.
Impressive Opening Day Collection
The film generated massive commercial interest right from day one. Industry reports indicate it grossed over ₹100 crore worldwide on its opening day. This achievement stands out as rare for an Indian film in the horror-comedy genre.
That initial earning placed 'The Raja Saab' among the top opening day performers in Telugu cinema history. It also marked the sixth time a Prabhas film crossed the ₹100 crore mark globally on its first day.
Box Office Trajectory Changes After First Week
However, the film's box office journey took an unexpected turn after the opening weekend. Early projections suggested it might approach ₹200 crore within the first week. Actual data revealed a different story.
Daily earnings began tapering off after those strong initial figures. By the end of the first week, collections stood at approximately ₹130.25 crore across languages. Most revenue came from core Telugu markets.
This figure represented a slowdown compared to expectations set by the film's scale and star power. The second week brought further declines.
Day 8, which was the second Friday, earned about ₹3.5 crore. Day 9, the second Saturday, brought in ₹3 crore. Day 10, the second Sunday, managed only ₹1.51 crore.
The total box office collection up to Day 10 reached around ₹138.26 crore. These numbers showed a clear downward trend in audience footfall as the second week progressed.
According to Sacnilk, Day 8 and Day 9 figures reflected notable declines compared to the previous week.
Worldwide Collection Figures
Global figures tracked on Day 8 suggested the film's worldwide gross stood near ₹188.75 crore. This included roughly ₹155.55 crore from India and about ₹33.2 crore from overseas territories.
Despite these numbers, momentum slowed significantly during the second weekend. Day 9 earned only ₹3 crore while Day 10 added another ₹1.51 crore.
Industry trackers reported the cumulative total reached approximately ₹138 crore by the end of the tenth day at the box office.
Occupancy Figures Tell a Story
Theater occupancy figures on Day 10 further illustrated the film's diminishing draw. For the Telugu (2D) version, morning shows recorded about 20.03 percent occupancy. Afternoon shows reached 34.72 percent.
There were no reported evening or night shows filled to significant capacity. The Hindi (2D) version recorded much lower occupancy rates.
Morning shows in Hindi reached 5.53 percent occupancy while afternoon shows recorded around 13.95 percent. No evening or night occupancy was reported for the Hindi version either.
Mixed Critical and Audience Reactions
Critical and audience reactions ranged from mixed to negative. Review aggregators and critics acknowledged the film's high production values and interesting visual effects.
However, many pointed to weak writing and inconsistent narrative structure as major drawbacks. Reviewers felt the long runtime and clumsy blending of horror and comedy diluted the impact of key moments.
Overseas Market Challenges
In overseas markets like North America, 'The Raja Saab' faced additional challenges. Despite high expectations, the film reportedly failed to meet its break-even target.
It lagged behind other Indian releases during the same period. This underperformance overseas added pressure on distributors who had paid premium prices for theatrical rights.
More About the Film
The film was marketed as a fantasy horror comedy with pan-India reach. It released in multiple languages including Telugu and Hindi.
The cast featured Prabhas alongside supporting actors like Sanjay Dutt, Nidhhi Agerwal, and Malavika Mohanan. This marked Malavika Mohanan's Telugu debut.
The story centers on an ordinary young man who embarks on a strange and spooky journey. He encounters mysterious events linked to his missing grandfather.
The narrative combines elements of horror with comedy, romance, and fantasy. Many critics found it uneven and lacking in strong storytelling.
Competition from Other Releases
Comparisons with competing releases further highlighted the film's struggles. Other major films released around the same time reportedly surpassed 'The Raja Saab' in key markets.
Chiranjeevi's 'Mana Shankara Varaprasad Garu' was reported to outperform Prabhas' film in markets like North America.
