The RajaSaab Movie REVIEW: Is Prabhas's Horror Comedy Worth The WATCH? Check Out Ratings

The RajaSaab Movie Review: Prabhas's latest movie is `The RajaSaab`. Directed by Maruthi and starring three heroines, the movie was released today. So, did Prabhas score a hat-trick hit? 

The Raja Saab Movie Review

Pan-India star Prabhas scored back-to-back hits with `Salaar` and `Kalki 2898 AD`. However, after a series of action movies, he has changed his genre. Wanting to do a good comedy entertainer, he has now done `The RajaSaab`. Prabhas has impressed with his action films, but what makes this one special is that he's doing a horror movie. This is what has built up the expectations for the film. Director Maruthi has crafted it as a fantasy horror-comedy. Malavika Mohanan, Nidhhi Agerwal, and Riddhi Kumar star as the heroines. Thaman composed the music. TG Vishwa Prasad produced it under the People Media Factory banner. Made on a huge budget, the movie was released today, Friday (January 9). It was released with the intention of bringing the Sankranti festival celebrations early. Let's find out in the review if Prabhas succeeded in bringing that festive cheer. The movie was specially screened for the media. Let's see how the film turned out in this review.

This is The Raja Saab Movie's Story

Raju (Prabhas) is an orphan who lives for his grandmother, Gangavva (Zarina Wahab). They are everything to each other. Anitha (Riddhi Kumar) supports them. For years, his grandmother has been searching for her husband, Kanakaraju (Sanjay Dutt). He left years ago to catch Gangaraju (Samuthirakani), who stole their wealth, and never returned. She longs for her husband, constantly thinking about him to the point of developing memory loss. She asks her grandson Raju to find and bring his grandfather back. Learning that Kanakaraju is in Hyderabad, Raju goes to the police for help. There, he is smitten by a Christian girl, Blessy (Nidhhi Agerwal). He even gives three lakhs for a child's heart operation at a church. But Blessy complains to the police that Kanakaraju stole the money. At the same time, Gangaraju's granddaughter Bhairavi (Malavika Mohanan) enters with a suitcase full of cash. They all team up and learn from Gangaraju that he is living in a fort in the Narsapur forest. Raju goes to the fort with his police uncle (VTV Ganesh), his friend Prabhas Sreenu (his real name), and Bhairavi. Did Raju meet his grandfather there? Did he fulfill his grandmother's wish? What experiences did they face in the fort? Who is the ghost in it? Why is Kanakaraju so obsessed with money? What's the story behind him? What is the story of Gangadevi, the zamindarini of the Devanagari empire? How did she become Gangavva? Who stole all the wealth of the Devanagari empire? What is Gangaraju's connection to this? The movie is the answer to all these questions.

How is The Raja Saab Movie?

Horror-comedy films have been around for a long time, and many of them are quite engaging. However, this movie's specialty is that it's Prabhas's first time in this genre, blending fantasy elements, romance, and full-on entertainment. Plus, it's special to see Prabhas doing comedy after many years. All this raised expectations for the film. But did the movie meet those expectations? That's something to think about. It's safe to say it was disappointing for the most part. However, technically, the movie is very good. The chosen story is fresh and interesting. You could say no other film has had a story like this. Also, the way the main plot is presented is new and engaging. They called it a fantasy horror-comedy, but it has a lot of psychological thriller elements, which became the main strength of the film.

The first half of the movie moves along at a fun pace. The introduction of Sanjay Dutt's character and a slight reveal of the backstory create curiosity. The horror elements are scary. After that, the story continues with scenes of Prabhas with his grandmother in a village, her waiting for Kanakaraju, and the search for the grandfather. The three heroines are introduced here, trying to win over the audience with their glamour. Prabhas attempts comedy at every step from the beginning. The story feels a bit slow until they enter the fort. The scenes after entering the fort are somewhat engaging, while others feel routine. The interval episode, however, is engaging and interesting. It makes you say 'Wow!' The entire second half takes place in the fort. After entering the fort, their struggles to get out, Prabhas's romance with Malavika, then Nidhhi's arrival and romance with her, and finally Riddhi's arrival... these scenes of Prabhas being caught between three heroines are funny only to an extent. For the most part, they are irritating and feel forced.

The comedy in the first half didn't work much. But the second half had some laughs and was enjoyable. The way the psychological elements were shown was good. They were new and engaging, making you think. The climax was handled well; it's on another level. Overall, they created a good buzz with the climax. It's also noteworthy that they left a lead for Part 2. Overall, the first half of the movie feels slow, which the second half somewhat covers for. However, many comedy scenes fell flat. They didn't work at all in the first half and felt forced. Many scenes seem illogical. The story just goes in circles without moving forward. At the same time, the love episodes don't connect well. Some comedy in the second half and the climax can be called the main strengths of the movie.

Performances of the Actors in The Raja Saab

Prabhas nailed the role of Raja. He impressed with a new look. He was funny and won hearts. He acted openly and entertained everyone. You could say this is a good change of pace for him. Prabhas also killed it with his dance moves. The three heroines impressed with their glamour. You could say they played around with him too. Malavika as Bhairavi, Nidhhi as Blessy, and Riddhi as Anitha did a great job. They succeeded in the glamour department. Sathya's comedy is funny. VTV Ganesh and Prabhas Sreenu also competed to make people laugh. Saptagiri was also impressive for a while. Samuthirakani shone briefly as Gangaraju. Zarina Wahab did a great job as the grandmother, living the character. And as Kanakaraju, Sanjay Dutt showed his true form. He gave a settled performance and impressed, drawing everyone's attention. No matter how anyone else performed, it's safe to say Prabhas dominated everyone.

How is `The Raja Saab` Technically?

Music is a big asset for this film. The songs are okay to an extent, but they don't have long-term appeal. The BGM, however, is amazing. It served as the backbone of the movie. The BGM in the climax makes you say 'Wow'. Karthik Palani's camera work is good. The VFX is a special attraction, captivating throughout. Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao's editing fell flat; it needed more trimming. The art direction is a special highlight. Director Maruthi's chosen story is good. He wanted to tell a new point, but he was only partially successful in making it engaging. He delivered visual grandeur. He should have taken more care with the screenplay and written it to be more gripping. He needed to work more on the comedy. He shaped Prabhas's character well and presented him nicely. He made the comedy work in the second half, but that lack is felt in the first half. If the climax had been more meaningful, gripping, and goosebump-inducing, the movie would have been awesome.

Pluses and Minuses of The Raja Saab Movie

Prabhas's new look, his comedy, romance, and the scenes where he's caught between the three heroines are good. He also danced well. The BGM is amazing. The visuals are good. The VFX is impressive. The actors performed well. The horror episode and psychological elements are okay. The interval, some comedy in the second half, and the climax can be considered plus points.

Minuses

The first half, many lagging scenes, and comedy that mostly didn't work. Also, many routine scenes. Forced love tracks, editing, screenplay, and routine dialogues can be called minuses. On top of that, the runtime is also a minus.

Final Note

 Prabhas's `The Raja Saab` offers limited laughs and scares. 

Rating 2.5