Superstar Prabhas has made a festive return to cinemas with the much-anticipated release of 'The Raja Saab' this Sankranthi season. Directed by Maruthi, the film marks a significant shift for the actor, who steps into a lighter, comedic horror-fantasy role after a series of intense performances in big-budget spectacles over the past few years.
A Solo Festive Run and Box Office Opening
With the other major contender, 'Jana Nayagan', stepping back, 'The Raja Saab' enjoyed a clear field as the primary mass entertainment option for the holiday audience. The film opened to a varied response from theatres and fans. While many appreciated its genre-blending approach, impressive visuals, and fun sequences, some critics felt the narrative could have been tighter. According to early trade estimates, the movie garnered over ₹6 crore on its first day, with its performance over the extended weekend being closely watched.
The stakes are particularly high given the film's colossal production budget, reported to be around ₹350 crores. This figure places it among the most expensive Telugu films ever made, with a substantial portion attributed to Prabhas's remuneration. This massive investment puts the project's all-around recovery under intense scrutiny.
Digital Rights Secured by JioHotstar
Even as the final box office numbers are tallied, attention has swiftly moved to the film's digital future. In a significant development, the OTT streaming rights for 'The Raja Saab' have been acquired by JioHotstar after prolonged negotiations. Reports indicate that producers were holding out for an appropriate valuation, which caused initial hesitation among several platforms—a scenario contrary to the usual pre-release hype for a star of Prabhas's magnitude.
The association with a leading platform like JioHotstar is expected to significantly widen the film's reach. It will cater especially to audiences who prefer streaming generic fantasy-horror content from the comfort of their homes, potentially boosting its overall success metric beyond theatrical collections.
Franchise Hopes and Star-Studded Cast
Looking beyond its immediate release, 'The Raja Saab' is already planting the seeds for a larger universe. The end credits have sparked excitement by explicitly teasing 'The Raja Saab Part 2'. Director Maruthi has clarified that the sequel will not be a direct continuation but a new story set within the same cinematic universe, retaining core horror elements.
The film features a notable ensemble cast including Malavika Mohanan, making her Telugu debut, alongside Niddhi Agerwal, Riddhi Kumar, and veteran actors Sanjay Dutt and Boman Irani. The music is composed by Thaman S. The commercial outcome of this ambitious project, especially its performance on the OTT platform, will be crucial in determining the fate of this proposed franchise expansion.
As the Sankrantti celebrations wind down, the journey of 'The Raja Saab' is just beginning, transitioning from the big screen to living rooms across the country, with its eyes firmly set on building a lasting horror-comedy legacy.
