The much-awaited horror-comedy The Raja Saab, starring pan-Indian superstar Prabhas, finally arrived in theatres this week. However, the release has been clouded by a wave of negative initial reactions from a section of the audience and a swirling controversy involving allegations of paid reviews.
Fan Disappointment and Scathing Early Reviews
Released amidst massive hype and expectations, the film, directed by Maruthi, has failed to impress many early viewers. Social media platforms were quickly flooded with criticism targeting the film's narrative, execution, and overall tone. Several fans expressed deep disappointment, with some labelling the project a "disaster" and questioning the choice of such a script for an actor of Prabhas' calibre following the monumental success of the Baahubali series.
One particularly harsh review came from an X user with the handle @BS__unfiltered. After attending a special screening, the user called the film "pathetic" and criticized Prabhas' performance, stating the actor deserved better. This post set the stage for a more significant controversy.
Allegation of a Paid Review Offer Sparks Firestorm
The discourse took a controversial turn when the same user, @BS__unfiltered, alleged that he was approached with a financial offer to remove his negative critique. On Friday morning, the user shared a screenshot of a direct message, purportedly from the film's official social media account, offering Rs 14,000 in exchange for deleting the critical post and replacing it with a positive one.
The user claimed he outright rejected the offer, vowing not to delete his review under any circumstances. This allegation spread like wildfire online, amplifying the negative buzz around the film and leading to a broader debate about whether critics are being selectively targeted to manage the film's online reputation.
Unverified Claims and Official Silence
It is crucial to highlight that the authenticity of the screenshot shared by the user cannot be independently verified. There is no confirmation about whether the message was genuine, manipulated, or created using AI tools. As of now, the makers of The Raja Saab have maintained complete silence and have not issued any official statement addressing these serious allegations.
Meanwhile, the film, which features an ensemble cast including Malavika Mohanan, Nidhhi Agerwal, Riddhi Kumar, Sanjay Dutt, and Boman Irani, has been released in multiple Indian languages. It is also scheduled for a Japanese release in the coming months. However, with mixed to negative reviews and unverified accusations dominating online conversations, the film's journey has begun on a turbulent note, overshadowing its horror-comedy ambitions.
