Multiple Setbacks for Actor Prabhas as His Movie "Raja Saab" Faces Further Delays, Possibly Colliding with Other Blockbuster Films in Release Dates
Prabhas' eagerly anticipated horror-comedy film, "The Raja Saab," has been pushed back from its original December 2025 release date to January 9, 2026, to align with the Sankranthi festival. The delay is primarily due to extensive VFX work, patchwork, and song shoots, with post-production expected to finish by mid-October 2025.
The producer, TG Vishwa Prasad, confirmed the scheduling changes despite Bollywood buyers' preference for the original December date. There is speculation about a potential box-office clash with Shahid Kapoor's upcoming project during the Sankranthi season, but official details remain unconfirmed.
Challenges and Anticipation
The film faces several challenges, including completing the extensive VFX work without compromising quality, adjusting the release schedule to maximise box-office potential while avoiding clashes with other major releases, and balancing the pressures of stakeholders such as Bollywood buyers insisting on a December release versus producers aiming for Sankranthi.
Despite these challenges, expectations for "The Raja Saab" are high. Prabhas' popularity, the blend of horror and comedy, and the festive audience all contribute to the anticipation. Notable actors like Sanjay Dutt and Malavika Mohanan, along with director Maruthi, add to the excitement. Industry observers anticipate a grand release and a strong box-office showing during Sankranthi, a lucrative period for Telugu cinema.
Filming and Deals
Director Maruthi has utilised a 41,256 sq ft haunted haveli set, the largest indoor haunted set in India, for the film. The deals for Prabhas' films on streaming platforms share similar highlights to the Rs 175 crore deals for the Hindi rights.
The ambitious "The Raja Saab" includes extensive haunted haveli sets and a genre leap for Prabhas, suggesting it could be a successful gamble. To blend horror and comedy, Maruthi reportedly made crews work shifts of 18 hours. The film's climax, lasting 40 minutes, requires 120 days of filming and 300 days of VFX post-production, a first for Indian cinema.
The final cut of "The Raja Saab" is expected to be approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes long, significantly shorter than the initial 4.5 hours of raw footage. The producers have also hinted at a possible sequel exploring a multiverse-like concept unrelated to the original story.
As the release date for "The Raja Saab" approaches, fans remain patient, with comments like "Take your time; we want a fully developed product." The film's rescheduled releases, "Prabhas Hanu" and "Spirit," will follow suit, awaiting the completion of "The Raja Saab."
[1] India Today [2] The Hindu [3] Hindustan Times
- The upcoming horror-comedy film, "The Raja Saab," with Prabhas, is a highly anticipated entertainment project, set for release during the Sankranthi festival in January 2026, after being pushed back from its original December 2025 date.
- The challenges faced by "The Raja Saab," such as VFX work, release scheduling, and balancing pressures from various stakeholders, highlight its ambitious nature and the potential for it to be a significant player in the movies-and-tv landscape.
