The Raja Saab, Movie India superstar “Prabhas”

The Raja Saab, featuring pan-India superstar Prabhas, was released worldwide on January 9, 2026, for the Sankranti festival.¹ Directed by Maruthi, the film marks Prabhas’ first major foray into the horror-comedy genre, blending a “masala” entertainer with supernatural elements.²+1

Movie Overview & Plot

The story centers on Raju (Prabhas), a flamboyant and carefree young man who lives with his grandmother, Gangamma (Zarina Wahab).³ Gangamma suffers from Alzheimer’s but is obsessed with her missing husband, Kanakaraju (Sanjay Dutt), a legendary exorcist.⁴+1

• The Mission: Prompted by his grandmother’s visions, Raju travels to an ancient, decaying mansion in Hyderabad to find his grandfather.⁵
• The Twist: He discovers that the mansion is not only haunted but that his grandfather is at the center of a dark supernatural game involving exorcism, hypnosis, and tantric rituals.⁶
• The Climax: Raju must transform from a “happy-go-lucky” rebel into the powerful Raja Saab to save his family from malevolent forces and settle long-standing royal disputes.

Key Cast and Crew

The film boasts a large ensemble cast featuring both South and North Indian stars:⁷

• Prabhas: In a dual-shaded role as the playful Raju and the majestic Raja Saab.
• Sanjay Dutt: Plays Kanakaraju (The Grandfather), a pivotal role with a dark, unsettling backstory.⁸
• Leading Ladies: Malavika Mohanan (as Bhairavi), Nidhhi Agerwal, and Riddhi Kumar provide the romantic and emotional anchors.⁹
• Boman Irani: Plays an intriguing role tied to psychological mind games.¹⁰
• Anupam Kher & Brahmanandam: Add gravitas and classic comedy to the narrative.

Box Office and Reception (Hindi Dub)

While the film opened to massive numbers in the Telugu states, the Hindi version has faced a challenging run in the North.¹¹

• The “Festive Mood” Controversy: Director Maruthi recently addressed the “flop” talk, suggesting that audiences in a “festive mood” might have missed the “layered narrative” of the film.¹²
• Show Cancellations: As of January 15, 2026, several Hindi-dubbed shows in North India (particularly in Bihar and Delhi) are reportedly being replaced by other releases like Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos and the long-running hit Dhurandhar due to low occupancy.¹³
• Critical Verdict: Critics have largely rated it 2/5 stars, praising Prabhas’ screen presence and the VFX, but criticizing the “bloated” 3-hour and 10-minute runtime and a script that feels “disconnected.”¹⁴

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