Superstar Prabhas, who has dominated the North American box office for Indian films since the 'Baahubali' era, is facing an unexpected slowdown with his upcoming release. His new film, 'The Raja Saab', is witnessing alarmingly low advance ticket sales in the crucial US market, a stark contrast to his previous blockbuster performances.
A Sharp Departure and a Slow Start
Directed by Maruthi, 'The Raja Saab' marks a significant genre shift for Prabhas into horror-comedy, moving away from the epic action spectacles that cemented his pan-India stardom. This change seems to be testing his formidable box office pull overseas. According to the latest trade data, the film's USA premiere advance sales stand at approximately $300,000. These sales come from 344 locations with over 100 shows, accounting for nearly 11,000 tickets sold.
When including Canada, the total North American premiere advances are around $315,000. With just eight days remaining until its premiere on January 9 for the Pongal festival, these numbers are causing concern. While not a disaster for a mid-sized film, they fall drastically short of the benchmark set by Prabhas's own recent releases.
Alarming Comparison to Past Hits and a Rival
The worrying sign for trade analysts is the lack of a strong growth curve. Prabhas's previous films, 'Salaar: Part 1 - Ceasefire' and 'Kalki 2898 AD', had a very different trajectory. Both films had crossed the $1 million mark in US premiere advances with less than two weeks to go, after opening bookings a month in advance. In stark contrast, 'The Raja Saab' struggled to cross $200,000 as of December 27 and has seen only limited growth even after its theatrical trailer launch.
The situation appears more challenging when compared to its direct Pongal competitor. Thalapathy Vijay's final film, 'Jan Nayagan', directed by H Vinoth, is also releasing on January 9. Despite opening its advance bookings only about 15 days ago, it has already collected over $260,000 in the USA alone, with a total North America collection of $350,000, surpassing 'The Raja Saab' despite a later start.
High Stakes and the Uphill Battle Ahead
The financial expectations add another layer of pressure. Reports indicate that distributors in North America acquired 'The Raja Saab' at a high valuation, with the estimated break-even point set at around $10 million. Given the current pace of advance sales, bridging the gap to reach this target seems like a steep climb.
With limited time before the premieres, the film's team needs an aggressive final push. The film's fate may now hinge on robust on-ground promotions and generating powerful positive word-of-mouth immediately after its release to alter its current course and meet its substantial financial commitments.
