The Raja Saab: 2025 Prabhas Romantic Comedy Horror Film

The Raja Saab: 2026 Prabhas Romantic Comedy Horror Film

4to40.com January 4, 2026 Movie Reviews 4,638 Views

Movie Name: The Raja Saab
Directed by: Maruthi
Starring: Prabhas, Nidhi Agerwal, Malavika Mohanan, Riddhi Kumar, Sanjay Dutt, Anupam Kher, Murali Sharma, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Jisshu Sengupta, Brahmanandam, Yogi Babu
Genre: Romance, Comedy, Horror
Release Date: 09 January, 2026
Running Time: 183 Minutes
Language: Telugu
Rating:
Production Company: People Media Factory, IVY Entertainment
Budget: Rs. 450 crore

The plot revolves around a young man, who sets his eyes on his ancestral property to ease him out of a cash crunch. But soon He realized that the mansion was hunted by a vengeful spirit Raja Saab.

The Raja Saab: Movie Overview

It is an upcoming Indian Telugu-language romantic comedy horror film written and directed by Maruthi. It is produced by People Media Factory. The film stars Prabhas in the titular role, alongside Nidhhi Agerwal, and Malavika Mohanan in lead roles.

The film was officially announced in January 2024, in addition to the official title, The Raja Saab. Principal photography commenced in September 2022. The film has music is composed by Thaman S, cinematography handled by Karthik Palani and editing by Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao.

Movie is scheduled to be released in theatres on 09 January, 2026.

Principal photography of the film began in September 2022. A special set was erected at the Aluminium Factory, Gachibowli in Hyderabad for the film.

By February 2024, the film has completed between 40% and 45% of its principal photography. Speaking about the film, producer TG Vishwa Prasad stated that, “Movie will be a huge visual wonder, with a very huge portion involving VFX.”

The film is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on 09 January, 2026, in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada languages.

The Raja Saab: Movie Trailer

The RajaSaab Trailer 2.0 (Hindi)

Movie Review:

An overlong horror comedy that Prabhas can’t fully salvage

The film centres on Raja Saab (Prabhas), a flamboyant and carefree young man whose life revolves around pleasure, charm and living in the moment. With little interest in legacy or responsibility, he is unexpectedly drawn back to a sprawling ancestral property where the past refuses to remain buried. As romance, inheritance and unsettling occurrences collide within this vast estate, what begins as a lighthearted setup gradually shifts into a genre-mixing narrative that attempts to blend humour, fantasy and an eerie undercurrent. While the idea is intriguing, the tonal transition is not always smooth, occasionally leaving the film caught between moods rather than confidently straddling them.

Director Maruthi approaches the film as a full-scale theatrical entertainer, leaning heavily into colour, elaborate production design and star-centric moments. The intent to create a visually rich big-screen experience is clear, and several sequences benefit from this emphasis on scale and spectacle. However, the storytelling frequently prioritises visual indulgence over narrative progression. The tone swings between playful comedy and spooky fantasy, but the balance proves difficult to sustain, with multiple stretches lingering longer than necessary. While the stylised approach has its moments of appeal, it rarely pushes beyond familiar territory, relying instead on well-worn beats.

Prabhas appears comfortable in the role, embracing a lighter, flamboyant persona with relaxed confidence. His screen presence, timing and easy charm remain the film’s biggest draw, and fans are likely to enjoy watching him inhabit a space designed to foreground swagger over emotional intensity. That said, the film’s frequent pauses to spotlight star moments occasionally come at the cost of narrative momentum, making certain portions feel drawn out rather than impactful.

While the lead carries the film largely on presence, the performances around him vary in impact. Malavika Mohanan, Riddhi Kumar and Nidhhi Agerwal deliver competent performances but are constrained by limited characterisation, functioning more as narrative anchors than fully developed roles. Veteran actors Boman Irani, Sanjay Dutt and Zarina Wahab lend gravitas and authority to their parts, though the screenplay does not fully capitalise on their presence, keeping their arcs within familiar boundaries.

On the technical front, this film ranks among Maruthi’s more ambitious ventures. The production design is striking, with sets that feel both grand and deliberately unsettling, lending the film a distinctive visual identity. The background score effectively amplifies mood and scale, enhancing both the playful and suspenseful moments. However, the final act stretches excessively, with prolonged sequences dulling what should have been a sharper, more decisive payoff and significantly affecting pacing.

The film’s attempt to explore a genre rarely touched in mainstream Telugu cinema is commendable, and its fantasy-driven concept holds promise. Yet, the loose screenplay and execution prevent it from reaching its full potential. Raja Saab clearly understands its star-driven intent, but a tighter narrative and stronger dramatic focus might have elevated it beyond a visually engaging yet inconsistent spectacle.