Prabhas's latest pan-India offering, The Raja Saab, directed by Maruthi, arrives with a bag full of promising ideas but trips over its own chaotic execution. Despite the superstar's affable presence, the film, a genre-bending horror-comedy that runs for a whopping 3 hours and 10 minutes, fails to capitalise on its novelty and ends up feeling sloppy and outdated. Our rating: a disappointing 2 out of 5 stars.
A Promising Premise Lost in Narrative Chaos
At its core, The Raja Saab presents an intriguing central conflict. The protagonist Raju (Prabhas) finds himself psychically locked in a battle with the evil sorcerer Kanakaraju (Sanjay Dutt). Their clash is a cerebral game of one-upmanship involving crocodiles and pyrotechnics, all without physical contact—a unique "mass" idea unfolding between a grandfather and grandson. The film dabbles in multiple genres: it's a coming-of-age tale, a haunted palace comedy, a rom-com, and even a mystical sci-fi thriller.
However, the potential of this solid premise is grossly unrealised. The screenplay, burdened by the need to cater to a massive fanbase, becomes incredibly casual and unfocused. The first half is largely squandered on inconsequential frills, failing to establish the emotional core or the stakes clearly. Key relationships, like Raju's with his grandmother Gangamma (Zarina Wahab), feel underdeveloped, and the entry of the primary antagonist is delayed, leaving the story's meaty parts buried.
Underwritten Characters and Archaic Tropes
The film's characterisation is another major flaw. While Sanjay Dutt's Kanakaraju gets a manic introductory scene, his motives remain fuzzy. The female characters are particularly poorly served. Malavika Mohanan's Bhairavi, who has familial links to the plot, is reduced to mere "arm candy," while Nidhhi Agerwal and Riddhi Kumar's characters form a triad of heroines pining for Raju—a setup that feels infuriatingly archaic and misogynistic.
Supporting actors like Samuthirakani, who plays a man integral to the mystery, are given so little essence that their presence is forgettable. The narrative lacks justification for why certain characters exist and why events happen to them, creating a tangled mess that's hard to follow.
Glimmers of Hope in a Flawed Venture
Despite the overwhelming shortcomings, The Raja Saab isn't entirely devoid of merit. Prabhas delivers one of his most grounded and relatable performances in recent times, his spunky charm evident throughout the long runtime. His comic rapport with actors like VTV Ganesh and 'Prabhas' Sreenu inside the spooky mansion offers fleeting pleasure.
Maruthi's trademark comedy treatment shows in patches, and veteran actor Zarina Wahab gets a few potent emotional scenes. The VFX work, effective in isolation, and Thaman S's score, which elevates certain moments, indicate where a chunk of the creative effort went. A climactic stretch briefly showcases competent filmmaking, but it's too little, too late.
Ultimately, The Raja Saab is an unintended labyrinth. Had it capitalised on its strong premise with simplicity and coherent writing, its other flaws might have been overlooked. Instead, it makes one unconvincing decision after another, testing the audience's patience and loyalty. The lack of self-awareness hurts the film deeply, ensuring that even Prabhas's amiable presence cannot save it from spiraling completely out of control.
