High expectations, but the numbers tell a different story
When Prabhas announced a return to lighter, entertainer-driven cinema with The Raja Saab, expectations were sky-high. However, five days into its theatrical run, the horror-comedy is finding it difficult to sustain momentum at the domestic box office — especially when compared to Prabhas’ recent juggernauts like Salaar and Kalki 2898 AD.
Despite a strong opening driven by festival buzz and fan enthusiasm, weekday collections have dipped sharply, placing the film under trade scrutiny.
Day-wise domestic box office performance
As per industry estimates from Sacnilk, The Raja Saab has collected around ₹119.45 crore net in India so far across all languages. Here’s how the film has performed day by day:
- Premieres: ₹9.15 crore
- Day 1: ₹53.75 crore
- Telugu: ₹47 crore
- Hindi: ₹6 crore
- Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam: under ₹1 crore combined
- Day 2: ₹26 crore
- Day 3: ₹19.1 crore
- Day 4: ₹6.6 crore
- Day 5: ₹4.85 crore (early estimates)
The steep fall after the opening weekend highlights waning footfalls, particularly in non-Telugu markets where collections remain modest.
Regional performance: Telugu strong, others lag behind
As expected, the Telugu version continues to contribute the lion’s share of the film’s earnings. However, the Hindi belt — which played a key role in the success of Prabhas’ previous films — hasn’t shown the same enthusiasm this time.
Trade analysts point out that the horror-comedy genre, combined with mixed word-of-mouth, may have limited the film’s mass appeal beyond core fan bases.
About The Raja Saab
Directed by Maruthi and produced by People Media Factory, The Raja Saab features an ensemble cast including Sanjay Dutt, Boman Irani, Malavika Mohanan, Nidhhi Agerwal, Riddhi Kumar, and Zarina Wahab.
The film released on January 9 in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam, positioning itself as a Sankranti festive entertainer.
What Prabhas had said about the film
Earlier, Prabhas had spoken passionately about the project, sharing that he wanted to move away from relentless action films and give audiences a full-fledged entertainer.
He praised Maruthi’s writing, particularly the climax, calling it unusually powerful for a horror-comedy and expressing confidence that The Raja Saab would connect strongly with festive audiences.
Final Words
Five days in, The Raja Saab finds itself at a crossroads. While the opening ensured a respectable total, the sharp weekday drop suggests the film may struggle to achieve blockbuster status unless it sees a strong revival over the coming weekend.
For Prabhas, the film represents a genre shift and a deliberate attempt to offer something lighter — but box office trends indicate that audiences may still be expecting the larger-than-life spectacle he’s become synonymous with. How the film holds in its second week will ultimately decide whether it can turn things around or settle for an underwhelming run.
