The much-hyped pan-Indian film The Raja Saab, starring Prabhas, has managed to cross the ₹100 crore mark in its opening weekend but is showing alarming signs of decline at the ticket windows. The film, which released on 9 January 2026 for the Sankranthi holiday period, has recorded a total India net collection of approximately ₹111.28 crore in its first four days, according to data from trade tracker Sacnilk.
Sharp Decline in Daily Collections
The box office trajectory tells a story of fading momentum. The film opened strong on Day 1, Friday, collecting a massive ₹53.75 crore across all languages. This impressive start was powered by massive advance bookings, fan-driven premieres, and the star power of Prabhas. The Telugu version alone contributed a dominant ₹47 crore, while the Hindi version added ₹6 crore. Collections from Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam were minimal.
However, a drastic drop followed. On Saturday, Day 2, earnings were nearly halved, falling to ₹26 crore. The slide continued on Sunday, with collections easing to ₹19.1 crore. Trade circles noted that this Sunday figure was the lowest first-Sunday collection for a Prabhas-starrer in four years. The downturn hit its lowest point on Monday, with early estimates (as of 4 PM) for Day 4 pegged at a mere ₹3.28 crore, bringing the cumulative total to the stated ₹111.28 crore.
Theatre Occupancy Plummets on Day 4
The steep fall in collections is directly reflected in the empty seats. Occupancy data for Day 4 paints a bleak picture, especially as the week began and new Sankranthi releases competed for screens.
In Telugu 2D theatres, morning shows saw a poor 16.20% occupancy, which improved only slightly to 25.92% in the afternoon. Evening and night shows reported negligible attendance. The scenario in Hindi markets was even more dire, with morning occupancy at 5.43% and afternoon shows at 8.24%. The near-zero numbers for later shows indicate a complete lack of walk-in audience and weak word-of-mouth.
Negative Critical and Public Reception
The film's commercial struggles are closely tied to its reception. The Raja Saab, directed by Maruthi and produced by People Media Factory with IVY Entertainment, has been met with largely negative reviews from both critics and the public.
Critics have panned the film's weak screenplay and excessive runtime, which is reported to be over three hours. The narrative has been criticised for lacking logic and coherence. The ambitious blend of horror, comedy, romance, and fantasy genres has failed to connect with viewers. Common complaints from audiences on social media and review platforms focus on disappointing execution, poor editing, subpar visual effects, and sluggish pacing. Many have labelled the film a "stretched" and "incoherent" experience that did not live up to the expectations set by Prabhas's stature.
The ensemble cast includes Sanjay Dutt, Nidhhi Agerwal, Zarina Wahab, Malvika Mohanan (making her Telugu debut), and Riddhi Kumar. The plot follows a man's search for his missing grandfather, leading him to a mysterious mansion with a sinister presence.
With intense competition during the festive period and poor audience feedback, the long-term prospects for The Raja Saab at the box office appear challenging, despite its strong opening day.
