Prabhas’ The Raja Saab was easily one of the most talked-about films heading into 2026. Promoted as a big shift for the star, the film marked his return in a grand horror-comedy avatar, something fans had been eager to see for a long time. With a massive budget, a popular director, and Prabhas in a fresh genre, expectations were sky-high. However, just days after release, the film is facing its first real box office challenge.
What’s happening at the box office?
According to Sacnilk, The Raja Saab collected around Rs 20 crore on its third day at the box office. What has surprised many is that the film failed to show growth even on Sunday, a day when collections usually see a jump. While Rs 20 crore in a single day is still a solid number, the downward trend is worrying, given the film’s massive scale.
The film opened strongly on Friday with Rs 53.75 crore, clearly driven by Prabhas’ star power and fan excitement. However, collections dipped to Rs 26 crore on Saturday, followed by another drop on Sunday. With this, the film’s total collection now stands at approximately Rs 108.90 crore.
Is the mixed word of mouth hurting the film?
Despite the promising opening, The Raja Saab has received mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike. Many viewers praised Prabhas’ screen presence and the film’s ambition, but several also pointed out issues with the screenplay, pacing, and inconsistent humour. Social media reactions, especially after the first day, appear to have affected the film’s momentum.
For a film mounted on a reported budget of Rs 400 crore, sustaining strong collections in the coming days will be crucial. The film needs steady weekday numbers and a strong hold in the second week to even enter the superhit conversation.
Why did the makers add new scenes?
In an interesting move, the makers recently announced the addition of new scenes featuring Prabhas in his much-talked-about older look. Several fans had complained that the promotional material showcased a version of Prabhas that did not fully appear in the final cut.
Addressing this, producer TG Vishwa Prasad of People’s Media Factory said, “There’s a 4-minute content of Prabhas in his old avatar that’s missing in the movie. One week back, due to an unfortunate incident and the server being down, we had the output, but it needed cleanup and minor corrections. We have done it and sent it to theatres now.”
Can The Raja Saab bounce back?
Directed by Maruthi and produced by People Media Factory and IVY Entertainment, The Raja Saab still has time to turn things around. Horror-comedies often rely heavily on audience reactions, and positive word of mouth over the coming days could help the film stabilise.
For now, all eyes are on how the film performs during the weekdays and whether the newly added scenes manage to pull audiences back into theatres.
