The much-anticipated Prabhas-starrer The Raja Saab has kicked off its theatrical run with a robust opening day collection, despite receiving a mixed response from audiences. The film, which marks the superstar's debut in the horror genre, managed to pull in significant numbers on its first day, Friday, January 9, 2026.
Day 1 Box Office Numbers: A Strong Start
According to data from the industry tracker Sacnilk, The Raja Saab collected approximately Rs 45 crore in India on its official release day, Friday. Adding to this sum are the earnings from special preview shows held a day earlier, on Thursday, January 8, in states like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Kerala, which contributed an additional Rs 9.15 crore. This brings the film's total domestic earnings for its opening to an impressive Rs 54.4 crore.
This figure is notably higher than the opening day collection of one of 2025's biggest openers. The Raja Saab has comfortably surpassed the Rs 31 crore that the Laxman Utekar-directed historical drama Chhaava, starring Vicky Kaushal, earned on its release day.
Advance Booking and Regional Occupancy Breakdown
The film generated substantial buzz prior to release, which translated into solid advance ticket sales. As per Sacnilk's report, around 5.62 lakh tickets were sold in advance across India, including block bookings, generating roughly Rs 28.09 crore before the film even hit the screens.
However, the audience turnout and occupancy rates painted a picture of stark regional variation. The film performed strongest in its core market. The Telugu (2D) version recorded a healthy overall occupancy of 57.16% across approximately 2,650 shows nationwide.
The performance in other linguistic markets was comparatively subdued. The Hindi dubbed version witnessed a much lower occupancy of 15.63% across 2,742 shows. The Tamil version registered an occupancy of 22.69% across 370 shows.
Audience Reception and Prabhas' Box Office Journey
While the box office numbers show a powerful opening, the audience and critical reception has been divided. The film, directed by Maruthi, built immense curiosity as Prabhas' first venture into horror, supported by intriguing promotional posters. However, upon release, it largely failed to meet the sky-high expectations of many.
Initial viewer reactions have been mixed to negative. While a section of the audience has praised Prabhas' performance as the sole redeeming factor, others have criticized the film's plot and narrative, with some labeling it as cringe-worthy. This mixed word-of-mouth poses a significant challenge for the film's sustainability over the crucial weekend.
The coming days, especially Saturday and Sunday, will be the real test for The Raja Saab. Its ability to hold its ground against the upcoming release of Chiranjeevi's Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu will determine its long-term box office fate.
This release is another critical point in Prabhas' post-Baahubali career. While he has delivered massive openers, replicating the unanimous critical and commercial success of the Baahubali franchise has remained elusive. Films like Kalki 2898 AD and Salaar were notable commercial exceptions but did not achieve the same level of critical acclaim. The industry and fans alike are watching to see if The Raja Saab can defy its initial reviews and emerge as a sustained winner.
