Prabhas’ Pongal release The Raja Saab entered theatres amid enormous expectations, not least because it marked the pan-India star’s first attempt at the horror genre. Promoted as one of the biggest releases of the season, the film was expected to dominate the festive box office. Instead, its theatrical run has been clouded by disappointment and intense online criticism.
Fans were eager to see Prabhas in a new avatar, but the final product left many dissatisfied. Viewers pointed out the excessive use of body doubles, even in seemingly straightforward scenes, while others criticised the screenplay for being poorly written and unintentionally comic. For a section of the audience, the film failed to live up to the hype built around its scale and genre shift.
Maruthi on why The Raja Saab failed to connect
Addressing the media on the film’s second day at an event held to celebrate its opening, director Maruthi pushed back against the “flop” narrative. He later shared a detailed note suggesting that the audience’s festive mindset worked against the film’s intended impact.
He wrote, “Audiences watch a film for about three hours on screen, but it is the result of nearly three years of relentless effort, stress, learning, and creative struggle. When such work is mocked or dismissed so easily, it does hurt, even if we choose to stay silent.”
‘Not a curse or threat,’ says the filmmaker
Responding to online trolling, Maruthi reflected on how public mockery eventually comes full circle. He said that those who ridicule others often face confusion and hardship later in life, sometimes without realising their own role in it. “This is neither a curse nor a threat,” he said, “but simply the way life works.”
Continuing his defence, Maruthi argued that audience expectations during Pongal prevented viewers from engaging with the film’s emotional and narrative depth. “Viewers watched The Raja Saab in a festive mood, expecting light entertainment. This may have stopped them from fully connecting with the deeper layers of the narrative,” he stated.
The director also claimed the timing of the release affected how the climax was received. According to him, a non-festive release could have sparked more meaningful discussion and appreciation. “Time always brings clarity, and honest work eventually finds its place—even if it takes longer than expected,” he added.
Social media reacts sharply
Maruthi’s comments triggered a strong backlash online, with many questioning the logic of his argument. A Reddit user wrote, “First you release the film in the festival season to maximise collections, and when it flops, you blame the audience for expecting a festive entertainer. Maverick logic, sir.”
Another comment read, “‘I’m not the problem—everyone else is.’ You had a huge budget and Prabhas, and still made a terrible film.”
Fans question Prabhas’ script choices
Criticism soon turned towards Prabhas’ selection of projects. One post read, “You release the film during a festival so it can do well, and when it doesn’t, you blame the audience for being in a festive mood. Stupid excuse from a stupid director of a stupid movie. Does Prabhas have no sense of judgment when choosing scripts and filmmakers?”
Other reactions included, “Does Prabhas not read scripts before signing anything?” and “Absolute trash of a movie. Wasted four hours and Rs 1,500 on two tickets. The film never used the potential of a pan-India star. The director should have stuck to his strength—comedy-horror—or played to Prabhas’ action strengths. Mixing everything led to disaster. Rs 400 crore down the drain.”