The Raja Saab Faces Steep Box Office Decline on Day 8
Early trade estimates reveal a sharp drop in collections for the Prabhas-starrer The Raja Saab on its eighth day in theaters. The film managed to earn only about ₹1.9 crore on its first Friday after the opening week. This brings the total India net collection to approximately ₹132.15 crore, according to preliminary data from tracking site Sacnilk. These numbers remain tentative and could see adjustments when final reports arrive.
Daily Collections Show Clear Downward Trend
The movie's performance has weakened noticeably following its opening weekend. Daily earnings have been declining steadily. On Day 6, which was the first Wednesday, the film collected ₹5.35 crore. The next day, Thursday or Day 7, saw collections of around ₹5.5 crore. The Day 8 estimate of ₹1.9 crore represents a substantial fall from these mid-week figures. This drop strongly suggests diminishing audience interest as the film enters its second week.
Occupancy figures for Day 8 further highlight this troubling trend. The Telugu 2D version recorded an occupancy of just 21.57 percent during morning shows. Afternoon shows saw a slight improvement to 37.57 percent. However, evening and night shows reported negligible attendance. This pattern indicates very weak footfalls during prime viewing hours, which typically drive higher collections.
Festival Period Fails to Provide Sustained Boost
Many trade analysts have pointed out the film's inability to maintain its initial hype. The Raja Saab opened worldwide on January 9, 2026, coinciding with the Sankranthi festival. Advance booking reports had indicated a strong opening day. Early worldwide gross figures placed Day 1 collections near ₹100 crore, fueled by strong interest for this pan-India release.
Despite opening during the festive Sankranthi period, the movie did not receive a significant boost from the holiday surge. Day 7 collections, which should have benefited from the Sankranthi holiday, remained almost flat compared to the previous day. This indicates limited growth potential even during favorable conditions. By the end of the first week, the film had crossed the ₹130 crore mark in India net, but daily collections continued to fall sharply after the weekend.
Analysts Note Sharper-Than-Expected Drop
Industry observers have noted that the film's earnings decline appears sharper than expected for a release of its scale and star power. Even on the Bhogi public holiday, which fell on Day 6, the incremental increase proved modest. Further sustainability now seems unlikely without positive word-of-mouth support.
Critical and audience responses have been divided, with an overall lean toward negative reviews. Critics have repeatedly highlighted weak writing, inconsistent genre balance, and a lack of narrative cohesion. Reviews from multiple outlets described the script as lacking substance and coherence. The film reportedly fails to fully deliver on either its horror or comedy promises. Some critics rated it poorly, calling it an overstretched narrative with limited logic or emotional impact.
About The Raja Saab
The Raja Saab is a Telugu-language fantasy horror comedy written and directed by Maruthi. People Media Factory and IVY Entertainment produced the film. Prabhas leads the cast, with supporting roles played by Sanjay Dutt, Boman Irani, Nidhhi Agerwal, Malavika Mohanan, Riddhi Kumar, and Zarina Wahab. Malavika Mohanan makes her Telugu debut with this project.
The storyline centers on a man searching for his missing grandfather. His quest leads him to a mansion inhabited by a sinister presence. Despite the presence of a major star and an ensemble cast, the film's mixture of genres and heavy reliance on spectacle have not translated into long-term box office strength. This has raised questions within trade circles about its commercial viability, especially considering the reported high production budget and marketing spend.
