Raja Saab starring Prabhas in the lead role was released in theaters on January 9, 2026. Directed by Maruthi, the fantasy horror comedy stars Sanjay Dutt, Malavika Mohanan, Nidhhi Agerwal, Riddhi Kumar, Boman Irani and many other notable actors in lead roles. If you are planning to watch it in theatres, here is the Pinkvilla review for your viewing pleasure.
plot
Raja Saab is the story of a young Raja who lives with his grandmother Gangamma. His grandmother is suffering from Alzheimer’s and only remembers her missing husband, Kanakaraju and Raja.
Often, Kanakaraju appears in Gangamma’s dreams, indicating a mystical connection. As Raja discovers a clue that may reveal his grandfather’s disappearance, he is directed to a haunted mansion.
What mystery lies behind the haunted mansion, and what happens when Raja has to face the evil ghost of his grandfather, is explored throughout the rest of the story.
Good
Otherwise, Prabhas is the biggest savior for Raja Saab in the troubled situation. Unlike his previous ventures that focused on action, drama and larger-than-life avatars, this time the Saaho actor takes a 180-degree turn from his previous roles, and becomes a true darling.
The pitch and tone of the content presented is truly something else and might have connected with the audience if not for the excessive scale and flawless execution.
Apart from a few light moments, nothing garners enough attention or praise.
From a technical point of view, Thaman S actually serves as the composer, introducing several tracks and melodies, even if by the end they seem unnecessary to the script. Additionally, Karthik Palani does a commendable job with the visuals.
bad
Raja Saab is a complete recipe for disaster, failing after trying to achieve beyond its limits. The film starts off with a poor foundation, making every progression in the script feel like wasted potential to the audience.
Although the ideas are good, the mix of mysticism and fantasy in a VFX-heavy world fails to impress. The pace at which the script moves, the obvious plot holes, and the failure to complete the subplots before moving on to the new plot leaves the audience indifferent.
This might have been acceptable if limited to a scene or two, but the film as a whole fails to tie itself together, making every moment of the three-hour runtime hard to swallow. In a fantasy horror comedy, neither horror nor comedy works, with the fantasy elements appearing amateurish.
With poor execution by Maruthi and shoddy editing by Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao, the only thing that makes the performance worse is the poor VFX.
Display
Prabhas does his best with the given material, donning a fresh and attractive avatar. His softer moments are reminiscent of his early days in the industry, balancing charisma without relying on punchy dialogues.
However, his character is also underdeveloped, possibly withheld to allow more scope in the sequel.
While Sanjay Dutt and Boman Irani give their best performances, Nidhhi Agerwal, Malavika Mohanan and Riddhi Kumar are reduced to background props, never fitting into the narrative as significant characters. Mostly, these are used only for music tracks.
Watch the trailer of The Raja Saab
Decision
Raja Saab is a lame and absurd horror comedy that only works partly because of Prabhas. The film lacks the essential soul that makes a film attractive, resulting in a dull and unimpressive viewing experience. Prabhas die-hard fans will still want to see it in theaters just for them, just don’t expect much more than that.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of Pinkvilla. Any statements made in this article are not intended to defame, harm, or discredit any person or entity.
Also read: Raja Saab Twitter review: 10 tweets to read before watching Prabhas, Malavika Mohanan’s fantasy horror film
