Fri Jan 09 20:10:00 UTC 2026: # “The Raja Saab” Opens to Mixed Reviews, Moderate Box Office Success

The Story:
Prabhas’ highly anticipated Telugu film, “The Raja Saab,” has been released, garnering a mixed reception from critics but achieving a decent opening at the box office. While the film has been dubbed into multiple languages, including Hindi, and features a family entertainment genre departure for Prabhas, initial reviews have been largely negative. Despite this, early trends indicate a first-day collection of ₹30.42 crore, bringing the total, including advance bookings, to ₹39.57 crore. This performance, while promising, falls short of the opening day figures of Prabhas’ previous films like “Salaar” and “Kalki 2898 AD.”

Key Points:
* “The Raja Saab” is a Telugu film starring Prabhas, dubbed into multiple languages.
* The film has received mostly negative reviews.
* Early trends indicate a first-day collection of ₹30.42 crore, with a total of ₹39.57 crore including advance bookings.
* This opening is lower than Prabhas’ previous films, such as “Salaar” (₹90 crore) and “Kalki 2898 AD” (₹95 crore).
* The film marks Prabhas’ return to the family entertainment genre after a series of action-oriented roles.
* The cast includes Sanjay Dutt, Malavika Mohanan, Nidhi Agarwal, Riddhi Kumar, Boman Irani, and Zarina Wahab.
* A sequel to “The Raja Saab” is reportedly in development with a different script.

Critical Analysis:
The historical context hints at several factors influencing the film’s reception. The news snippets suggesting a potential change in actresses for “Salaar” and the exclusive interview with Malavika Mohanan regarding “The Raja Saab” indicate pre-release interest and behind-the-scenes dynamics. Furthermore, the inclusion of “The Raja Saab” in lists of OTT and theatrical releases alongside other films suggests a competitive environment. The contrasting review headlines, ranging from “bizarre spectacle” to “only for Prabhas fans,” highlight the polarized opinions and potential reliance on Prabhas’ fanbase for success.

Key Takeaways:
* “The Raja Saab” demonstrates the challenge of balancing audience expectations with critical acclaim, especially for star-driven vehicles.
* Prabhas’ star power still holds significant weight, evidenced by the film’s decent opening despite negative reviews.
* The historical context indicates that pre-release buzz and casting decisions play a crucial role in shaping audience perception.
* The film’s performance suggests a possible genre mismatch between Prabhas’ recent action roles and the family entertainment focus of “The Raja Saab.”
* The announcement of a sequel, even before the first film’s performance is fully assessed, indicates confidence in the franchise potential.

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