The RajaSaab is a 2026 Indian Telugu-language fantasy horror comedy film written and directed by Maruthi and produced by People Media Factory and IVY Entertainment. The film stars Prabhas, along with Sanjay Dutt, Nidhhi Agerwal, Malavika Mohanan (in her Telugu debut), Riddhi Kumar, and Zarina Wahab. The story follows a man searching for his missing grandfather who ends up in a mansion haunted by a sinister presence.
The RajaSaab
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Maruthi |
| Written by | Maruthi |
| Produced by | T. G. Vishwa Prasad |
| Starring | Prabhas, Sanjay Dutt, Nidhhi Agerwal, Malavika Mohanan, Riddhi Kumar, Zarina Wahab |
| Cinematography | Karthik Palani |
| Edited by | Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao |
| Music by | Thaman S |
| Production Companies | People Media Factory, IVY Entertainment |
| Release Date | 9 January 2026 |
| Running Time | 183 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Telugu |
| Budget | ₹400–450 crore |
| Box Office | ₹208.38 crore |
Plot
Gangamma, an Alzheimer’s patient, lives peacefully under the care of her grandson RajaSaab, while holding on to fading memories of her missing husband Kanakaraju, a former exorcist believed to be in exile.
RajaSaab begins searching for his grandfather in Hyderabad, facing many challenges along the way. During his journey, he falls in love with Bessy, a devout nun, while Bhairavi, the granddaughter of a thief, joins him in the quest.
Their search leads them to a haunted mansion where they discover that Kanakaraju is actually the mastermind behind the events, having planned everything to lure RajaSaab there for his own dark intentions.
RajaSaab, Bessy, and Bhairavi become trapped inside the mansion, unable to escape Kanakaraju’s supernatural control. Even Specialist Padmabhushan, brought in to help, fails against Kanakaraju’s power.
In the climax, RajaSaab awakens a hidden strength that creates a parallel reality, allowing him to defeat Kanakaraju. However, the story ends with a mysterious joker-like figure resembling RajaSaab appearing in the shadows, leaving the future uncertain.
The RajaSaab Closing Collections
| Field | Collections |
|---|---|
| India Gross | ₹174.14 Cr |
| Overseas Gross | ₹34.25 Cr |
| Worldwide Gross | ₹208.39 Cr |
Cast
- Prabhas as Raju “Rajasaab”
- Sanjay Dutt as Pekamedala Kanakaraju (Raju’s grandfather)
- Nidhhi Agerwal as Bessy
- Malavika Mohanan as Bhairavi
- Riddhi Kumar as Anitha
- Zarina Wahab as Gangadevi “Gangamma” (Raju’s grandmother)
- Ammu Abhirami as Young Gangadevi
- Samuthirakani as Gangaraju (Bhairavi’s grandfather)
- Boman Irani as Dr. Padmabhushan
- Murali Sharma
- VTV Ganesh as Mangalam Babai
- Prabhas Sreenu as Autodriver Seenu
- Saptagiri as Brother RIP (Bessy’s aide)
- Satya as Warden
- Rajitha as Raju’s aunt
- Harsha Chemudu as Kareemulla (Raju’s friend)
- Mahesh Achanta as Mahesh (Raju’s assistant)
- Rohit Pathak as Bhairaagi
- Nanda Gopal MK as Police SI
- Manisha Kandkur as Bessy’s friend
- Supreeth Reddy as Thief
- Vadlamani Srinivas as Gangadevi’s father
- Sonia Chowdary
- Ronson Vincent as Goon
- Anandhi as Lady at carnival (cameo appearance)
Production
Development:
- In 2022, director Maruthi narrated a horror-comedy script to Prabhas, who agreed to the project.
- While working on Salaar and Kalki 2898 AD, Prabhas shot this film simultaneously as Maruthi handled pre-production.
- This movie marks the first collaboration between Prabhas and Maruthi, which the director described as a major opportunity.
- The film was initially planned under the title Raja Deluxe with DVV Entertainment, but production later shifted to People Media Factory.
- Titles like Royal and Ambassador were considered before the official title The RajaSaab was announced during Sankranti 2024.
- Reports suggest the story is set around an old cinema theatre, with Prabhas reportedly playing dual roles (grandson and grandfather/ghost).
- Actresses such as Raashii Khanna and Sreeleela were considered before finalizing Malavika Mohanan, Nidhhi Agerwal, and Riddhi Kumar.
- Nayanthara was reportedly signed for a special song.
- Sanjay Dutt and Boman Irani later joined the cast in important roles.
Music
The soundtrack of The RajaSaab is composed by Thaman S, with the music rights acquired by T-Series. The album was released through multiple singles, starting with “Rebel Saab” on 23 November 2025, followed by “Sahana Sahana” on 17 December 2025, “Raja Yuvaraje” on 31 December 2025, and “Nache Nache” on 5 January 2026. The song “Nache Nache” is a remake of the classic “Auva Auva Koi Yahan Nache Nache” from Disco Dancer (1982), originally composed and sung by Bappi Lahiri and Usha Uthup.
Release
The RajaSaab was released worldwide on 9 January 2026, coinciding with the Sankranthi festival, along with dubbed versions in Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam. The film was initially scheduled for release on 10 April 2025 and later 5 December 2025, but faced multiple postponements due to pending post-production work. The post-theatrical digital streaming rights were acquired by JioHotstar for ₹160 crore, and the film began streaming on the platform from 6 February 2026 in Telugu and dubbed versions of Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam.
Reception
The RajaSaab received mostly negative reviews from critics, with many pointing out its weak script, overstretched narration, and lack of emotional depth. Several reviewers felt the film relied more on star power than strong storytelling, calling it a missed opportunity despite an interesting premise. Critics from major publications rated the film around 1–2/5 stars, criticizing the screenplay, uneven execution, poor humour, and outdated treatment of the horror-comedy genre.
Critical Response
Reviewers highlighted issues such as weak writing, abrupt scene transitions, and lack of narrative cohesion. Some critics described the film as a “royal mess” and noted that the central idea had potential but was not properly developed. While a few appreciated Prabhas’ comic timing in parts, most agreed that the film failed to maintain consistency in tone and storytelling.
Box Office
The film opened strongly at the box office, collecting around ₹9.15 crore from paid previews. It earned approximately ₹53.75 crore domestically and ₹100.9 crore worldwide on opening day. By the end of its first weekend, the film crossed ₹170 crore worldwide, and it completed its theatrical run with a total gross of about ₹208.38 crore worldwide.
Sequel
During the end credits, the makers officially announced a sequel titled RajaSaab 2: Circus 1935, confirming the continuation of the story.
EXTERNAL LINKS
WIKIPEDIA :- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_RajaSaab#
IMDB :- https://www.imdb.com/title/tt23790696/
INTERNAL LINKS
SHAMBHALA :- https://cinemaatlas.com/shambhala-shambhala-movie-collections/
SARVAM MAYA :- https://cinemaatlas.com/sarvam-maya-sarvam-maya-movie-collections/
1.How long is The RajaSaab?
The film has a running time of about 3 hours and 10 minutes.
2.When was The RajaSaab released?
It was released on 9 January 2026.
3.What is the IMDb rating of The RajaSaab?
The film holds an IMDb rating of 3.4/10.
4.Who plays the lead role in The RajaSaab?
Prabhas plays the lead character RajaSaab.
5.Who are the main cast members of The RajaSaab?
The film stars Prabhas, Sanjay Dutt, and Nidhhi Agerwal.
6.Who wrote and directed The RajaSaab?
The film is written and directed by Maruthi Dasari.
7.Who composed the music for The RajaSaab?
The music is composed by S. Thaman.
8.Who produced The RajaSaab?
The film is produced by T. G. Vishwa Prasad.
9.Who handled cinematography and editing in The RajaSaab?
Cinematography is by Karthik Palani, and editing is by Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao.
10.What genre does The RajaSaab belong to?
It blends fantasy, horror, comedy, action, romance, and thriller elements.
