Mumbai: Prabhas starrer The Raja Saab may not have taken a thunderous start by his own standards, but the film has still created history at the Indian box office. It has become the largest opening Indian movie of the past two years, despite being predicted as the least successful post pandemic opener of the actors career.
According to early estimates by Sacnilk, The Raja Saab had collected ₹15.34 crore net in India by 4 PM on Friday, a strong figure considering the film is not a mass action spectacle and its advance bookings opened relatively late.
The Raja Saab Beats Dhurandhar on Opening Day
One of the biggest surprises of the day came from the film’s morning performance. The Raja Saab out earned Dhurandhar during the morning shows, a notable achievement given that Ranveer Singh’s film had been dominating the box office for the last five weeks.
By 9 AM itself, The Raja Saab had already crossed Dhurandhar’s Thursday collection of ₹4.25 crore, officially ending its long run at the top of the Indian box office. This made The Raja Saab the new number one film in the country within hours of its release. Trade analysts note that this is a remarkable performance, particularly considering the fact that the film is not based on mass actions, and that it is not mass-oriented on opening day.
How The Opening Compares to Prabhas’ Previous Films
In comparison to Prabhas’ earlier releases, The Raja Saab has opened lower. Films like Salaar, Kalki 2898 AD, and Adipurush had massive opening day numbers ranging between ₹86 crore and ₹95 crore. From that perspective, the current opening may seem modest.
But The Raja Saab is the story of a very different kind when compared to the recent blockbusters. It is likely to outgross Jawan, Animal, Leo and Dhurandhar in their opening day collections, and will be ahead of all big releases of the past two years.
A Return to Vintage Prabhas
Directed by Maruthi, The Raja Saab has generated strong curiosity as it marks Prabhas’ return to the family entertainer genre after more than a decade. After the Baahubali series, the star had paid much attention to big budget action movies. It has been a change that has been embraced by fans who refer to it as a comeback to his screen lightness and charm.
The film also stars Sanjay Dutt, Malavika Mohanan, Nidhhi Agerwal, Riddhi Kumar, Boman Irani, and Zarina Wahab, adding to its wide appeal.
Also Read | Shahid Kapoor Unleashes His Darkest Avatar Yet in O’Romeo First Poster, Teaser Date Announced
