Prabhas The Raja Saab Opens to Rs 9 Crore in Telugu States on Day 1

In what comes as a shock, Prabhas' most-anticipated film The Raja Saab has registered a below-par opening in the Telugu states. The horror-comedy reportedly collected around Rs 9 crore net in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on its first day, a figure that has surprised trade circles.

A leading distributor said the film failed to generate the expected footfalls across key centres, adding that the subdued opening came as a shock given Prabhas’ star power. According to him, the actor’s foray into the horror-comedy genre did not strike a chord with his core fan base, with several fans staying away from theatres in smaller towns.

Trade sources noted that Prabhas had consciously opted to experiment with comedy and allotted dates to director Maruthi with that intent. However, early indications suggest the experiment has not delivered the desired results. Even fragmented premiere shows reportedly failed to provide any significant boost to the opening-day collections.

Director Maruthi has also come under scrutiny, with insiders criticising the film’s execution. Trade observers feel that uneven narration, flat humour and an overdependence on glamour prevented the film from fully leveraging Prabhas’ mass appeal. A distributor remarked that the star was not presented in a compelling manner, with the narrative leaning heavily on routine jokes and multiple heroines.

The muted opening has heightened concerns as The Raja Saab was reportedly sold for over ₹150 crore in the two Telugu states. Given the high pre-release business, the film now faces a challenging road ahead. However, exhibitors remain cautiously optimistic that the ongoing Sankranti holiday season and any positive word of mouth could still help improve collections in the coming days.