The Raja Saab Review: Prabhas Tries to Keep It Together, But the Film Slips Away (3*)

The Raja Saab wants to be many things at once funny, scary, romantic, emotional, and grand. Sadly, in trying to juggle all of this, the film ends up losing balance. While Prabhas brings his usual sincerity and charm, the movie around him feels messy, stretched, and unsure of what it wants to be.

The story follows Raju (Prabhas), a simple, good-hearted man whose life gets tangled in a mysterious family past involving his missing grandfather and a supernatural setting. The setup sounds interesting, and for a brief while, the film gives hope that it might turn into an entertaining genre mix. But that promise fades quickly.

Prabhas is clearly putting in effort. He looks comfortable, relaxed, and likable, especially in lighter moments. His performance is not the problem, the writing is. Emotional scenes don’t hit hard enough, relationships don’t feel fully formed, and many situations just happen without proper buildup. As a result, it becomes difficult to connect deeply with the story.

Director Maruthi struggles to control the film’s tone. Comedy scenes drag on, horror elements lack impact, and the romance feels forced at times. Instead of blending smoothly, the genres clash. The film also feels unnecessarily long, with several scenes that could have been trimmed or removed entirely.

Technically, The Raja Saab has its moments. The sets look grand, and the background score does try to lift the mood. But these surface-level strengths can’t hide the weak storytelling underneath. Supporting actors are sincere but underused, leaving many characters forgettable.

In the end, The Raja Saab feels like a missed opportunity. With a star like Prabhas and a concept that had potential, the film could have been something memorable. Instead, it turns into a tiring watch that relies too much on star presence and too little on strong writing. Prabhas holds the screen, but the film itself slowly slips out of control.

⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 3/5