Prabhas' Horror Comedy 'The Raja Saab' Faces Steep Box Office Decline in Third Week
Prabhas' much-anticipated horror comedy film 'The Raja Saab' has entered its third week of theatrical run with disappointing momentum. The film's daily collections have witnessed a sharp decline across all regions, indicating that its theatrical journey is nearing its conclusion.
Day 20 Collections Hit Record Low
On its twentieth day in theaters, 'The Raja Saab' managed to collect only Rs 34 lakhs worldwide, as reported by industry tracking website Sacnilk. This minimal earning represents a significant drop from earlier weeks and suggests that audience interest has substantially waned.
The film's daily earnings pattern shows consistent decline:
- Day 20: Rs 34 lakhs worldwide
- Day 19: Rs 34 lakhs worldwide
- Day 18: Rs 27 lakhs worldwide
- Day 17: Rs 34 lakhs worldwide
Cumulative Box Office Performance After 20 Days
Despite the recent slump, 'The Raja Saab' has accumulated substantial collections over its three-week run:
- Worldwide Total: Rs 206.75 crore
- India Net Collection: Rs 144.57 crore
- India Gross Collection: Rs 172.5 crore
- Overseas Earnings: Rs 34.25 crore
Language-Wise Breakdown Reveals Mixed Response
The film's performance varies significantly across different language markets, painting a clear picture of regional acceptance:
Telugu Version Performance
As the primary language version, Telugu has contributed the majority of collections:
- Total Net Collection: Rs 118.65 crore
- Day 20 Collection: Rs 34 lakhs
Hindi Version Performance
The Hindi dubbed version has shown limited traction:
- Total Net Collection: Rs 24.21 crore
- Day 20 Collection: Only Rs 1 lakh
- Recent daily collections have remained minimal, with days 18 and 19 together earning just Rs 1 lakh
Malayalam Version Performance
The Malayalam version has seen the most limited response:
- Total Net Collection: Rs 23 lakhs
- Daily collections have remained extremely low throughout its run
Star-Studded Cast and Critical Reception
'The Raja Saab' features an impressive ensemble cast including Prabhas, Sanjay Dutt, Boman Irani, Malavika Mohanan, Nidhhi Agerwal, and Riddhi Kumar. Directed by Maruthi, the film attempted to bring a fresh horror-comedy blend to mainstream Telugu cinema, a genre combination not commonly explored in big-budget productions.
Critical reviews have highlighted both strengths and weaknesses. According to ETimes review, the film shows technical ambition with striking production design that creates a distinctive visual identity. The background score effectively enhances both playful and suspenseful moments, contributing to the film's atmospheric quality.
However, the review also points out significant shortcomings. The final act suffers from excessive stretching, with prolonged sequences that dull what should have been a sharper payoff. This pacing issue significantly affects the overall viewing experience. While the attempt to explore an uncommon genre in Telugu mainstream cinema is commendable, the loose screenplay and execution prevent the film from reaching its full potential.
What Contributed to the Box Office Decline?
Several factors likely contributed to the film's declining box office performance:
- Genre Experimentation: While horror-comedy represents a fresh attempt, mainstream audiences may not have fully embraced this unconventional blend
- Pacing Issues: Critical feedback about prolonged sequences in the final act may have affected word-of-mouth
- Competition: The film faced competition from other releases during its theatrical run
- Audience Expectations: Prabhas' star power created high expectations that the film may not have fully met
The film's journey demonstrates the challenges of genre experimentation in mainstream Indian cinema, even with star power and technical ambition. As 'The Raja Saab' approaches the end of its theatrical run, its performance serves as an interesting case study in audience reception to unconventional genre blends in regional cinema.
