Prabhas’ The Raja Saab Smashes ₹100 Crore in First Weekend Despite Mixed Reviews
Prabhas‘ latest cinematic offering, The Raja Saab, has stormed the box office, crossing the coveted ₹100 crore mark in India within its first three days of release. The fantasy horror-comedy, released on January 9, 2026, capitalized on the festive Sankranti season to deliver a powerful commercial opening, underscoring the star’s massive draw.
Opening Weekend Box Office Breakdown
The film, directed by Maruthi and featuring an ensemble cast including Sanjay Dutt, posted impressive daily numbers:
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Day 1: ₹53.75 crore (led by Telugu version)
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Day 2: ₹26 crore
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Day 3: ₹19 crore+
This brought the domestic nett total to approximately ₹108 crore by Sunday, January 11. The film also performed well internationally, with early estimates suggesting a worldwide collection crossing ₹150 crore in the first weekend, trending towards ₹200 crore.
Strong Start Amidst Mixed Reception
Despite its commercial success, The Raja Saab has received a mixed to average critical and audience response. While praised for Prabhas’ performance and visual style, critiques have centered on pacing, narrative coherence, and the horror-comedy blend. Nevertheless, initial curiosity and the festive holiday period drove significant footfalls, proving Prabhas’ ability to pull crowds across languages.
Context and Comparison
While a major success, the film’s opening is comparatively lower than some of Prabhas’ previous blockbusters like Kalki 2898 AD or Salaar. However, crossing ₹100 crore in three days for a horror-comedy genre film is a notable achievement and reinforces his status as a pan-India box office powerhouse.
The Road Ahead
As the film enters its first full week, its long-term performance will hinge on word-of-mouth and sustained audience interest outside core Telugu markets. The Sankranti holiday boost will taper, but the strong opening has already secured The Raja Saab‘s place as one of the major commercial releases of early 2026.
The film adds another milestone to Prabhas’ formidable box office legacy, demonstrating that his star power can generate massive opening numbers even when critical reception is divided. The industry will now watch closely to see if the momentum holds in the coming weeks.
