Prabhas Returns to Roots: The Raja Saab Opens to Mixed Reviews and Big Numbers

The image of being scary and funny at the same time is hard to balance, and that is why fans celebrate the play of the horror-comedy depicting Vintage Prabhas.

Prabhas is back on the big screen with The Raja Saab, a big-budget horror-comedy film that formally hit the theatres today, January 9. Released in the middle of the busy Sankranthi season, the film represents an enormous departure on the part of the actor as he switches from his heavy action of Kalki 2898 AD and Salaar to a less serious and more playful role.

The Story and Vibe

Under the direction of Maruthi, the movie is a story of a young man who comes to an old, falling mansion to get his ancestral property. It does not take him long to find out that it is not as vacant as it seems. The family secrets are mixed with supernatural scares and a great amount of comedy in the plot.

To a good number of fans, seeing Prabhas play a vintage avatar is the best part. He accepts his comic timing, which has been a gaping missing factor for his followers. His relationship with the other supporting casts, specifically, the legendary Sanjay Dutt, lends seriousness to the story. However, the fact that it is almost three hours long has led to the complaint of some viewers that the story is dragging in the middle.

Mixed Reactions from Critics

The critics are slightly ambivalent. Although the first half received applause due to its comedy and the energy that Prabhas portrays, the second half has been criticized as having a disjointed screenplay and irregularly rendered visual effects.

Critics also pointed out that even with the huge budget (estimated to be 400-450 crore), the VFX is cheesy in some of the scenes. The background music of Thaman s has also split opinion. Audiences have praised its effect in the horror sequences, but some have felt slightly too loud.

Box Office Performance

The Rebel Star brand by Prabhas has managed to revive the box office despite the varied interest of other critics. The movie enjoyed good prior reservations, especially in the Telugu circles and the U.S.A. It is projected that the opening-day earnings in India will be about ₹65 to 70 crore. This is not as huge as the huge openings of Kalki or Salaar, but a solid performance of a horror-comedy.

The movie has 4,000 to 5,000 screens in India, which is set to take over the festival weekend. This question of whether it is capable of continuing this momentum will be determined by the reactions of the general audience towards this new, spookier side of Prabhas.