The box office journey of The Raja Saab is turning out to be far more challenging than expected. Despite strong pre-release buzz and a wide multi-language rollout, the Prabhas-led entertainer is showing clear signs of fatigue early in its theatrical run.
On Day 5, the film managed to collect only ₹4.85 crore India nett across all languages, according to early trade estimates. The sharp drop has raised concerns in trade circles, especially given the scale and expectations surrounding the project.
Day 5 Numbers Tell a Worrying Story
By the end of its fifth day, The Raja Saab has reached an estimated ₹119.45 crore India nett. While the overall figure may seem respectable at first glance, the trend behind the numbers paints a different picture.
The film had already started showing weakness during its opening weekend. Collections until Day 4 stood at around ₹114.60 crore, and the fall from Sunday onwards has been particularly steep. Monday saw a major crash, and Tuesday failed to bring any recovery.
For a film mounted on such a massive scale, this kind of weekday performance is far from ideal.
Language-Wise Breakdown: Where Things Slipped
On Day 3, the film still showed some promise, earning ₹19.1 crore across languages:
- Telugu: ₹14.2 crore
- Hindi: ₹4.65 crore
- Tamil: ₹15 lakh
- Kannada: ₹7 lakh
- Malayalam: ₹3 lakh
However, the slide began almost immediately after.
- Day 4: ₹6.6 crore
- Day 5: ₹4.85 crore
The consistent drop across markets suggests that the film is struggling to sustain audience interest beyond the initial curiosity factor.
Occupancy Numbers Reflect Audience Apathy
Occupancy figures from Tuesday, January 13, further highlight the film’s struggles.
Telugu markets:
- Overall occupancy: 21.12%
- Morning shows: 14.55%
- Afternoon: 22.32%
- Evening: 22.39%
- Night: 25.20%
Hindi belt:
- Overall occupancy: 12.55%
- Morning: 7.13%
- Afternoon: 11.25%
- Evening: 12.08%
- Night: 19.72%
Tamil regions:
- Overall occupancy: 12.12%
- Morning: 13.78%
- Afternoon: 14.33%
- Evening: 9.53%
- Night: 10.83%
These numbers indicate that even evening and night shows, usually considered safer slots, are failing to draw crowds in significant numbers.
Mixed Reviews Add to the Downward Trend
Apart from box office pressure, The Raja Saab is also battling a wave of mixed-to-negative word of mouth. Social media reactions have been particularly harsh, with viewers calling out the film’s storytelling and execution.
Several viewers criticised the stretched first half, forced romantic subplots, and uneven performances. While a few supporting actors received appreciation, many felt the film lacked emotional engagement and narrative cohesion.
The negative chatter appears to be directly impacting footfalls, especially in urban centres and multiplexes.
Cast, Crew, and the Road Ahead
Directed by Maruthi, the film stars Prabhas in the lead, alongside Sanjay Dutt, Malavika Mohanan, Nidhhi Agerwal, Boman Irani, and Riddhi Kumar. Popular comedians Brahmanandam and Vennela Kishore also appear in supporting roles.
Despite the ensemble cast and commercial ingredients, the film is clearly struggling to connect with audiences on a wider scale.
Final Words
At the moment, The Raja Saab finds itself in a difficult spot. The sharp weekday drops, low occupancy, and lukewarm word of mouth suggest that the film’s box office run may remain front-loaded unless something dramatically changes over the coming days.
For now, trade analysts will be closely watching whether the weekend brings any relief — or if the film continues to face an uphill battle at the ticket counters.
