Prabhas’ The Raja Saab Roars Past ₹100 Crore Worldwide On Day 1 Despite Harsh Reviews

Even as critics remained divided, Prabhas once again proved why he is one of Indian cinema’s most bankable stars. His latest release, the horror-comedy The Raja Saab, stormed past the ₹100 crore mark worldwide on its very first day, sending a strong message across the industry that audience power often outweighs reviews.

The film’s thunderous opening comes from its combined earnings of Thursday’s paid previews and Friday’s release, placing it among the biggest openers of the year so far.

The Raja Saab is a cinematic crime.
It looks like someone accidentally filmed inside a green screen warehouse and called it a movie.
Zero logic, zero realism, and a complete waste of money.
The lottery star has exactly one expression—on repeat.
Unwatchable in theaters,… pic.twitter.com/oe8yzcxs8Y

— MESSY 🌟 (@Asif_sk000) January 9, 2026

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₹100 Crore In 24 Hours: How The Numbers Stacked Up

According to figures reported by Sacnilk.com, The Raja Saab earned approximately ₹26 crore from overseas markets on its opening day. Domestically, the film recorded ₹54 crore from regular shows, along with an additional ₹9 crore from paid previews.

Together, these numbers pushed the film comfortably past the ₹100 crore global milestone, despite facing unfavourable early reviews.

How It Compares To Prabhas’ Previous Blockbuster

⭐️ Non-holiday.
⭐️ Midweek release [Thu].
⭐️ #INDvsENG2024 semi-final match.
Yet, #Kalki2898AD embarks on a FANTASTIC START across the board... BIGGEST OPENER OF 2024 - #Hindi version only.

East. West. North. And, of course, South - #Kalki2898AD wave grips the nation... Best… pic.twitter.com/EGO32MnDhC

— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) June 28, 2024

While the opening is impressive, it does trail behind Prabhas’ previous mega release, Kalki 2898 AD, which had registered a massive ₹191 crore worldwide on its first day in 2024.

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh had then written on X:

“East. West. North. And, of course, South - #Kalki2898AD wave grips the nation... Best part is, the film has opened to excellent houses at Tier-2 and Tier-3 centres and if the trend continues, the mass pockets will help #Kalki2898AD put up a solid number in the long run. [Week 1] Thu ₹ 22.50 cr Nett BOC. #India biz. #Boxoffice. NOTE: Data of HINDI version only. Gross BOC... Day 1...#India: ₹ 27.5 cr [#Hindi] #Worldwide: ₹ 190 cr [all languages].”

The film later went on to collect an extraordinary ₹1100 crore during its theatrical run.

The Raja Saab Slows Down Dhurandhar’s Record Run

The arrival of The Raja Saab has finally put the brakes on Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar, which had enjoyed a sensational run for over a month. The film has already amassed more than ₹1200 crore, but with Prabhas’ new release dominating screens, its collections are now expected to taper sharply.

On its 36th day, Dhurandhar added ₹3.5 crore to its total.

Inside The Raja Saab: Cast, Crew And Prabhas’ Emotional Note

Directed by Maruthi and produced by TG Vishwa Prasad under the banner of People Media Factory, The Raja Saab features an ensemble cast including Sanjay Dutt, Boman Irani, Malavika Mohanan, Nidhhi Agerwal, Riddhi Kumar, and Zarina Wahab alongside Prabhas.

Reflecting on the long journey of the project, Prabhas shared:

“The three years of stress and responsibility of Raja Saab brought tears to Maruthi garu's eyes. When I first met him, I told him that films were becoming too action-oriented and that we should give audiences a proper entertainer. That is how this horror-comedy took shape. Vishwa Prasad garu kept believing in Maruthi garu's script and supported it throughout. When I heard the climax, I became a fan of Maruthi garu's writing. I honestly wondered whether he wrote it with a pen or a machine gun. Such a climax hasn't come even in horror-comedy films. You must watch it and tell me. After 15 years, Maruthi is giving full Darling entertainment. The film is arriving this Sankranti. All Sankranti films should do well, and along with them, The RajaSaab should also become a blockbuster.”