madhura blog

 Darling Prabhas’s upcoming film The Raja Saab  including the latest release schedule, production background, cast, genre, promotional activity, OTT rights, and speculation on possible further delay

1. Introduction: Prabhas’s New Genre Leap

After delivering back‑to‑back blockbusters like Salaar and Kalki 2898 AD, Prabhas surprises fans by entering a completely new territory: a romantic horror‑comedy. Titled The Raja Saab, directed by Maruthi, the film positions itself as a pan‑India entertainer blending comedy, romance, supernatural thriller, and high‑voltage glamour  . It’s his first film in this genre, and expectations are sky‑high.

2. Genre & Story Premise

The Raja Saab follows a man drawn to his ancestral property for a quick money fix, but it comes with a surprising twist — he’s haunted by the ghost of his grandfather. Prabhas plays dual roles: the grandson and the ghostly grandfather. The teaser has already hinted at this twist, promising an emotional yet humorous and spooky experience .

The director Maruthi described the screenplay as fresh, calling it “a new chapter in Prabhas’s career,” combining romance and horror effectively to entertain audiences across the spectrum  .

3. Filming and  Production Scale

Productions team begins  back in October 2022 with principal photography continuing through the  late 2022 into 2024. The scale is enormous: a sprawling 41,000  sq ft indoor haunted mansion set was built in Hyderabad, operating with a workforce of over 1,200 people for months. Reportedly, the crew worked grueling 16–18 hour days on this massive set to capture the intense scenes  .

Post‑production has been laborious, requiring nearly 300 days of VFX work and reshoots. These delays were cited as the main reason for multiple postponements  .

In mid‑2025, notable visitors including director Puri Jagannadh and producer Charmee visited the set, signaling solidarity within the industry and further raising fan excitement  .

4. Teaser & Promotional Highlights

On June 16, 2025 at 10:52 AM IST, the official teaser debuted across platforms — with much fanfare shown via IMAX screening events. The 2:28‑minute teaser feels almost like a mini‑trailer, establishing the film’s mood: creepy yet comedic. Prabhas’s dialogue “Amma Durgamma Thalli… Kaapaadammaa” has already become iconic  .

The teaser presentation also revealed Sanjay Dutt in his role as Prabhas’s grandfather, looking eerie and menacing — his birthday poster release generated buzz nationwide  . At the promotional events, the creative producer S.K.N. spoke about how some early negative rumors in Tollywood were overcome, expressing confidence in the final product and praising Prabhas’s conviction  .

Director Maruthi emphasized that Prabhas playing an older avatar as the ghost character is a major surprise — and fans will “go berserk” once it’s revealed in full .

5. Release Timeline & Delays

Originally, The Raja Saab was slated for April 10, 2025, as revealed with initial “fan India glimpse” promos  . However, mounting post‑production workload, reshoots and VFX demands forced a significant postponement.

By June 2025, the makers officially rescheduled the theatrical release to December 5, 2025, marking the date in bold social media posts by Prabhas and on movie announcements  .

Just as that date seemed locked, fresh reports in late July 2025 hint at another possible delay, potentially pushing the release into Sankranthi 2026 (mid‑January). No new official date has been confirmed yet — but industry watchers suspect that the postponement aims to avoid major box‑office clashes around the December holiday season  .

So as of August 2, 2025, the confirmed release date remains December 5, 2025, though ongoing buzz suggests a slide into early 2026 may still happen.

6. OTT Rights & Distribution

Digital streaming rights are already sold: Netflix reportedly acquired the Hindi version alone for a whopping ₹100 crore. It will release digitally only after the theatrical window ends. Other language versions (Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam) haven’t had digital deals publicly disclosed yet  . This major pre‑sell signals high distributor confidence.

The film will be released in five Indian languages (Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam) to maximize its pan-India reach  .

7. Cast, Crew & Creative Team

Prabhas, as dual characters (grandson & ghostly grandfather)

Sanjay Dutt in pivotal role as the eerie grandfather

Leading ladies: Nidhhi Agerwal, Malavika Mohanan, Riddhi Kumar, with a special song cameo by Nayanthara  .

Music by Thaman S, cinematography by Karthik Palani, editing by Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao  .

Produced by People Media Factory and IVY Entertainment, distributed by B4U Motion Pictures and AA Films  .

8. Box Office Expectations & Outlook

Building on the massive success of Kalki 2898 AD (₹1,000 cr+ global gross) and Salaar (₹700 cr gross), The Raja Saab is expected to continue Prabhas’s winning run if delivered on schedule and with quality. The unique genre—even by blending romance, horror, and comedy—positions it to draw an audience looking for novelty  .

However, delays could dampen momentum or destabilize marketing. If pushed to Sankranthi 2026, the film could benefit from festival season openings—but also risk facing direct competition with other major releases  .

9. What Fans Should Watch For

Official confirmation of The Raja Saab shifts from December 5, 2025 to a Sankranthi 2026 slot

The trailer launch, likely after the teaser’s positive reception

Marketing campaigns ramping up across social media, promotional interviews with director Maruthi and the cast

Pre‑soundtrack release and song promos from Thaman S

Post‑theatrical announcements about streaming dates in Telugu and other versions beyond the Hindi Netflix deal

10. Summary Timeline

Milestone Status / Date

Initial planned release April 10, 2025

First teaser launch June 16, 2025 at 10:52 AM IST

Official new theatrical release December 5, 2025

Possible further postponement Sankranthi 2026 (unconfirmed)

Netflix streaming rights (Hindi only) Sold for ₹100 crore

Film distributed in 5 Indian languages Yes

Teaser reception Highly positive

Production issues Heavy VFX reshoots

11. Final Thoughts

The Raja Saab is shaping up to be Prabhas’s boldest experiment yet — taking on dual roles in his first horror‑comedy, backed by a director known for emotional realism and humor. The sets, the promotions, the music, and the OTT pre‑sell all reflect a well‑financed, carefully crafted pan‑India project.

The buzz around The Raja Saab is real and if executed well, it could redefine Prabhas’s career yet again.