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‘The Raja Saab’ movie review: A bizarre spectacle where the joke never lands
‘The Raja Saab’ movie review: A bizarre spectacle where the joke never lands
Early on in The Raja Saab, a health scare prompts Prabhas to ask comedian Mahesh Achanta to fetch an odd assortment of items, from footwear to cigarettes. When Mahesh asks if he is serious, Prabhas snaps back with: do the needful — call an ambulance. The exchange is meant to be funny, but it lands flat, setting the tone for what follows.
Written and directed by Maruthi, The Raja Saab aims to rewind Telugu cinema to a pre-Baahubali Prabhas — when he thrived in light-hearted roles with space for romance and comedy, à la Darling or Mr Perfect. The actor appears willing to embrace this blend of horror, comedy, fantasy and romance. Yet the film collapses into a baffling hotchpotch that squanders a promising premise. At 189 minutes, it becomes an endurance test, where the occasional spark of fun is smothered by a dull, meandering narrative.
It is difficult to look past the air of artifice that hangs over the film from the outset. The story opens with glimpses into the lives of Raju (Prabhas) and his grandmother (Zarina Wahab), who is gradually losing her bearings to Alzheimer's. Yet even these simple, everyday moments lack conviction, because the world they inhabit never feels real. The house and the neighbourhood resemble a constructed film set rather than spaces that have been lived in.
The makers may have chosen sets over real locations, given the presence of an A-list star and the logistical challenges of crowd control. Fair enough. But cinema has repeatedly shown that even constructed spaces can feel lived-in and convincing enough to draw viewers into the story and its characters. Here, the make-believe world remains flimsy until the narrative shifts to a dilapidated, supposedly haunted house deep in the jungle.
A significant portion of the drama unfolds within this abandoned mansion. The production design by Rajeevan Nambiar — filled with statues, props and hypnotic spiral motifs that echo the story's mind games — does create the requisite visual mood. On paper, it should work.
When Prabhas, joined by Malavika Mohanan, VTV Ganesh, Satya, Nidhhi Agerwal, Saptagiri and later Riddhi Kumar, finds himself trapped in this horror house with no obvious way out, one expects the fear to be palpable. Instead, barring an occasional jump scare and a stunt involving a VFX-generated crocodile, the tension never materialises. None of the characters appear genuinely frightened; they behave as though they are on a spirited adventure weekend. There is even a throwaway explanation involving a magic wardrobe to justify the leading women's immaculate styling, alongside casual chatter about sunscreen and moisturisers. Haunted house, did anyone say?
At its core, The Raja Saab hinges on a backstory from the younger years of the character played by Zarina Wahab. A glimpse of what Sanjay Dutt's character is up to in this chapter carries the makings of genuinely unsettling horror. Yet the writing fails to mine this potential, offering neither sustained creepiness nor an emotionally engaging drama.
Zarina Wahab is stoic and effortlessly regal as a woman who has been deeply wronged. Had her relationship with Prabhas been etched with greater care, some of the film's aimless stretches might have been forgivable. Boman Irani appears briefly, nudging the narrative towards an intriguing strand of psychological mind games, but even this detour is not enough to rescue the film.
Prabhas makes an earnest effort and seems to relish playing a lighter, more playful character, though inconsistent looks and uneven dialogue delivery in places prove distracting. As for the three leading women, they are saddled with flimsy characterisations that barely merit comment.
The overlong climax — stretching beyond 30 minutes — stages an interesting clash of forces, fought largely as a battle of wits. By then, however, it is far too late to redeem a film that feels lazily written and executed. Several scenes appear to have been shot against green screens and heavily propped up by visual effects, further distancing the viewer emotionally.
In The Raja Saab, characters find themselves trapped in a haunted house with no easy escape. Ironically, watching the film in a theatre can feel much the same. When the final moments tease a sequel — The Raja Saab: Circus — it lands less as a promise and more as a threat. As the first of five Sankranti 2026 releases, the film arrives during a season when audiences are usually indulgent, provided there is some fun to be had. Unfortunately, this one is simply a slog.
Published - January 09, 2026 02:54 pm IST
The Hindu Cinema Plus / Telugu cinema
Source: TheHindu
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