The Raja Saab Review

The Raja Saab (2026) Movie: What's Behind

When Pan-India star Prabhas announced a film with director Maruthi, everyone was surprised. Prabhas originally wanted to do a simple movie with a local feel, and that is how 'The Raja Saab' began. However, the movie eventually turned into the biggest horror-fantasy film ever made in India. It took nearly four years to complete and was finally released on January 9, 2026, for the Sankranthi festival. TG Vishwaprasad produced this grand film under the People Media Factory banner. The streaming rights for 'The Raja Saab' have been bought by Jio Hotstar.

The Raja Saab (2026) Movie: Story Review

The Raja Saab is an emotional story about a grandson and his grandmother. Raja (Prabhas) lives with his grandmother, Gangamma/Ganga Devi (Zarina Wahab). She has been waiting decades for her lost husband, Kanaka Raju (Sanjay Dutt), to return.

One day, Raja finds a clue about where his grandfather might be. He travels to Hyderabad to bring him home. However, he discovers a shocking truth: his grandfather is dead and has become an evil spirit. Raja learns that Kanaka Raju had performed black magic on Ganga Devi, who was actually the Queen of the Devanagara Kingdom, just to steal her treasure and marry her. Because of this betrayal, Ganga Devi lost everything and was forced to live in poverty with her grandson.

Upon learning this, Raja goes to the haunted palace to reclaim his grandmother's lost fortune. The rest of the story follows what happens after he enters the palace possessed by Kanaka Raju. It also explores who the three women, Nidhhi Agerwal, Malavika Mohanan, and Riddhi Kumar are and how they are connected to Prabhas and the mysteries of the palace.

The Raja Saab (2026) Movie: Artists Review

The biggest selling point of the movie is seeing Prabhas in a jovial, happy-go-lucky role after doing serious films for so long. His comedy, charm, and relaxed body language are good to watch. However, he needed to be more energetic in some parts, and his dialogue delivery could have been sharper. In a few scenes, he appeared tired, almost as if he were sleepwalking. Aside from these small issues, Prabhas is the main highlight of the film.

After Prabhas, Sanjay Dutt and Zarina Wahab have the most important roles. They used their experience well and commanded attention whenever they were on screen. Supporting actors like VTV Ganesh, Sapthagiri, Sathya, Prabhas Srinu, and Samuthirakani did their jobs well enough to keep the story moving.

Regarding the heroines, Riddhi Kumar has a small role as someone who has loved Prabhas since childhood. Nidhhi Agerwal plays a nun whom Prabhas falls for. She looked good and did her part well. Malavika Mohanan has more screen time than the other two. She performed well and even did some stunts in an action sequence. 

The Raja Saab Movie: Technicians Review

The movie is written and directed by Maruthi. He tried to mix horror elements with science (hypnotism) while balancing Prabhas’s fun side, romance with three heroines, and emotional scenes with the grandmother. Unfortunately, this mix did not work as expected. While a few comedy scenes and emotional moments are good, they are very brief. The romance and comedy tracks often feel boring and test the audience's patience.

The first half feels like filler. It spends too much time introducing characters and showing Prabhas falling in love repeatedly. These scenes feel outdated, and the comedy does not land well. However, the movie gets better just before the interval as the main story begins. The second half is more interesting, and a few jokes work well here. Once Boman Irani’s character enters, the mystery starts to unfold. However, the logic is not explained clearly, which makes things confusing for the audience.

The much talked about climax, where Prabhas gets emotional in a hospital, is impressive and showcases his acting skill. The final battle between Prabhas and his evil grandfather is where Maruthi’s vision goes wild. The imagination and visual effects in this scene are good, but it feels like too late. Meanwhile, Maruthi announced that he has plans for sequel, announcing 'The Raja Saab  2 - Circus 1935 '. Prabhas's joker getup is shown for this film.

Cinematographer Karthik Palani did an excellent job. His lighting sets the perfect mood for the film. Thaman’s music is okay in the songs and decent in the background score, helping to lift certain scenes. Editor Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao should have cut some of the long, dragging scenes. The production values by TG Vishwaprasad are top-notch. The money spent is clearly visible in the lavish sets and world class visual effects (VFX).

The Raja Saab: Advantages

• Prabhas (Charm and Acting)
• Some Comedy Scenes
• The Climax
• Technical Values

The Raja Saab: Disadvantages

• Outdated Romantic Tracks
• Clumsy Second Half
• Confusing Writing
• Overall Comedy falls flat

The Raja Saab (2026) Movie: Rating Analysis

Altogether, The Raja Saab has an interesting core idea supported by Prabhas's fun performance, strong technical quality, and a good climax. However, apart from these points, the film fails to keep the audience engaged because the execution feels old fashioned. The screenplay is disjointed, meaning the audience struggles to connect emotionally with the story. If the writing had been sharper, the film could have been on another level. Considering all these factors, CineJosh gives a 2.25 rating for The Raja Saab.