Prabhas's upcoming film The Raja Saab is scheduled for a nationwide theatrical release on January 9, but it's facing an uphill task in terms of box office success. Despite the star's strong fan base, the film is being promoted largely as a regional Telugu release, with limited efforts to build momentum in North India. The film's reported production cost has also raised eyebrows, with estimates suggesting that the budget has crossed the ₹500 crore mark.
Trade circles observe that audience attention in the Hindi belt continues to be dominated by Dhurandhar, which is enjoying a strong theatrical run. This has resulted in muted pre-release buzz for The Raja Saab in key northern markets, raising concerns about its opening potential outside the southern states. With such a massive investment, the film will need extraordinary box office performance just to reach the break-even mark.
Trade analysts believe that The Raja Saab must at least match, if not exceed, the ongoing performance of Dhurandhar to recover costs. The challenge becomes steeper without strong traction in the North Indian circuits. Unless the film generates exceptional nationwide word-of-mouth and pulls large crowds beyond the southern markets, sustaining a long theatrical run will be difficult.
That said, anticipation among Telugu audiences remains high, and Prabhas's star power continues to be the film's biggest asset. The coming weeks will reveal whether his pan-India appeal can convert this high-risk venture into a commercially viable success. With no major releases scheduled around the same time, The Raja Saab has a window of opportunity to make a mark at the box office.