By Ayesha Khan 
Hyderabad, January 16: Eight days after its release, The Raja Saab finds itself in uncomfortable territory at the box office. The Prabhas-led horror-comedy, which stormed theatres with enormous expectations, recorded its lowest single-day collection so far on Thursday, earning roughly ₹3 crore across India. The figure, tracked by Sacnilk and widely reported by national outlets, takes the film’s total domestic net to ₹133.25 crore.
On paper, that number still looks sizeable. In reality, the trend line tells a far less reassuring story.
A Sudden And Unmistakable Drop
The day eight crash stands out not just for how low it is, but for what it represents. From an opening day of ₹53.75 crore, the film has slid steadily, shedding audiences at a pace that has surprised even seasoned trade watchers. Thursday’s ₹3 crore haul is the steepest fall since release, and also the clearest sign yet that the film is struggling to hold attention beyond its initial burst.
According to Hindustan Times, occupancy levels dipped sharply across key centres, with weekday shows running visibly empty in several urban multiplexes. Even mass belts, usually a safety net for Prabhas films, are showing signs of slowdown.
For exhibitors, the concern is no longer about margins but about sustainability. A film carrying this scale of release is expected to settle into a weekday rhythm. The Raja Saab has instead slipped into a free fall.
Opening Week Numbers Hide The Cracks
Much of the early conversation around the film leaned heavily on its ₹130.38 crore first-week total, a figure that initially suggested stability. But a closer look reveals a run that was front-loaded almost entirely on hype.
The film opened with ₹63.3 crore, including paid previews, followed by a sharp dip to ₹26 crore on day two and ₹23.65 crore on day three. By the time it reached its first weekday stretch, collections had fallen into single digits, with day six bringing in just ₹5.25 crore and day seven hovering around ₹5.63 to ₹5.65 crore.
According to Business Standard, several theatre owners began trimming show counts midweek, particularly in markets where walk-ins dried up after the weekend. Once that happens, recovery becomes an uphill task.
That said, distributors in the Telugu states continue to strike a cautious note of optimism, arguing that the opening weekend cushioned much of the financial risk. Whether that cushion is enough remains to be seen.
Hindi Markets Prove To Be A Major Weak Spot
If one segment has outright let the film down, it is the Hindi version. The numbers here are stark. In its first week, the Hindi release managed only ₹17.25 to ₹18 crore, with Thursday clocking a low of ₹75 lakh, the weakest day so far.
The film had opened to ₹5.25 crore in Hindi markets, but momentum evaporated almost immediately. Weekday collections barely crossed ₹1 crore, a worrying sign for a film mounted and marketed as a pan-India release.
As reported by Pinkvilla, the absence of strong word-of-mouth, combined with mixed critical reception, has kept northern audiences away. Trade analysts point out that without a solid Hindi run, even a strong southern performance struggles to carry a film of this scale into comfortable profitability.
For Prabhas, whose post-Baahubali career has leaned heavily on pan-India reach, the Hindi underperformance stings the most.
Genre Experiment That Did Not Fully Land
Directed by Maruthi, The Raja Saab was pitched as a tonal shift for Prabhas, moving away from high-decibel action into horror-comedy territory. The idea generated curiosity. The execution, however, appears to have split audiences.
Several reviews, including those cited by The Indian Express, pointed to uneven storytelling. The first half delivered laughs and set-pieces that worked in isolation, but the film reportedly lost narrative grip as it progressed, unsure whether to lean into scares or slapstick.
Still, the film is not without strengths. Production values have been widely appreciated, and Prabhas’ screen presence remains its biggest asset. But in a theatrical market where repeat value is everything, these elements alone have not been enough to pull audiences back for a second viewing.
Where The Film Stands Now
With the second week underway, the conversation has shifted. The focus is no longer on box office milestones, but on damage control. Trade circles are closely watching the upcoming weekend, hoping for a bounce. Without it, collections could slide further, making recovery increasingly difficult.
According to Bollywood Hungama, the film’s long-term financial outcome will now depend heavily on non-theatrical avenues, including satellite and streaming rights. While those deals may soften the blow, theatrical performance remains the industry’s most visible barometer of success.
For now, The Raja Saab stands as a familiar reminder in modern Telugu cinema. Star power can still guarantee a thunderous opening. Holding audiences, especially across languages and regions, is a far tougher test.
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- Ayesha Khan
- Ayesha Khan
- Ayesha Khan
- Ayesha Khan
