Slow Start for The Raja Saab, Dhurandhar Opens Strong

Entertainment: The Hindi film Raja Saab had a slow start during its morning and afternoon shows, registering roughly 10% occupancy. As expected, the opening was low, with Pinkvilla estimating collections between ₹4-7 crore. Advance bookings were late and weak at most locations, with national chains selling fewer than 10,000 tickets. The total first-day advance stood at around ₹1 crore net.

Based on the morning shows, the film could manage a net collection of ₹5 crore for the day. There’s hope that evening shows might improve the numbers, but it remains uncertain how aggressive the audience feed will be.

Although Raja Saab is a horror-comedy entertainer presented on a grand scale, the trailer’s comedy didn’t entirely resonate with viewers. Its South-style comedy might be the main hook for sustaining audience interest.

Prabhas, one of South India’s biggest stars, has a market in the Hindi belt due to his consistent openings, mostly from action or devotional films like Radhe Shyam. However, both Radhe Shyam and now Raja Saab failed to deliver strong openings in the Hindi market.

The film performed slightly better in Telugu states, though large films generally open well there. With a high production cost, recovery heavily depends on theatrical performance. Upcoming holidays could boost collections, but the morning show response hasn’t been encouraging enough so far.