Imagine walking into a theatre on a regular Friday and realising you're part of a **₹54.15 crore** box office storm. That's exactly what happened with **Prabhas' horror-comedy 'The Raja Saab'**, which has exploded out of the gates with a **₹45 crore India net opening day**, plus **₹9.15 crore from paid previews**, taking its **total opening to ₹54.15 crore worldwide**.[3][1] For a genre that usually doesn't open anywhere near big action tentpoles, this is a statement. According to early estimates based on Sacnilk data, 'The Raja Saab' made around **₹45 crore India net on Day 1 across all languages**, driven primarily by the Telugu version.[3][1] Telugu states recorded **strong occupancy throughout the day**, with overall Telugu occupancy at about **57% on Friday**, and night shows surging close to **70%**.[1][3] Hindi and Tamil versions showed **moderate but noticeable growth**, indicating Prabhas' pan-India pull is still very much intact.[3] What really tilts the scales is the **paid preview strategy**. The film collected **₹9.15 crore on Thursday** through paid premieres alone, which, when added to Friday's numbers, pushed the **opening to ₹54.15 crore**.[3][1][6] For context, trade reports note that the film's pre-release and advance sales were strong, even though bookings opened relatively late compared to other recent biggies.[2][4] Despite this, 'The Raja Saab' still stormed into theatres and **snatched the top spot at the Indian box office**, comfortably outperforming recent holdover 'Dhurandhar' by early shows itself.[5][8] What makes this opening particularly interesting is the mix of factors at play: - **Genre gamble:** A **horror-comedy** headlined by a superstar best known for epic action and sci‑fi; yet fans turned up in huge numbers, especially in Telugu-speaking regions.[3][5][6] - **Festival timing:** The release right before the **Sankranthi weekend** gave the film a festive push, with audiences flocking to cinemas despite **mixed to negative reviews** from critics.[6] - **Fan power:** Even as some called it the weakest post‑pandemic opening for Prabhas when compared to monsters like 'Salaar' or 'Kalki 2898 AD', a **₹45 crore Day 1** is still a dream start for most films and underscores his **sustained drawing power**.[5][6] Trade circles are already buzzing about where the film can go from here. With strong word-of-mouth among core fans and a holiday frame ahead, the key question now is: **Can 'The Raja Saab' turn this big start into long-term box office dominance?** Now over to you: - Have you watched **'The Raja Saab'** yet—did the horror-comedy blend work for you? - Do you think these **Day 1 numbers** match Prabhas' star power, or did you expect more? - How does it compare to his earlier films in your opinion? Share your thoughts in the comments, and if you found this breakdown useful, **share this post with fellow movie lovers** who are tracking the box office battle this festive season.Citations
1.https://www.sacnilk.com/quicknews/The_Raja_Saab_2024_Box_Office_Collection_Day_1
2.https://www.sacnilk.com/news/The_Raja_Saab_Box_Office_Worldwide_PrabhasStarrer_Clocks_Near_100_Crore_Opening
3.https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/the-raja-saab-box-office-collections-day-1-prabhas-delivers-big-opening-rs-54-15-crores-worldwide-start/articleshow/126445767.cms
4.https://www.bollymoviereviewz.com/2026/01/the-raja-saab-box-office-collection-day-1-worldwide-budget.html
5.https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/telugu-cinema/the-raja-saab-box-office-collection-day-1-prabhas-snatches-dhurandhar-crown-65-cr-animal-jawan-adipurush-kalki-2898-ad-101767953642959.html
6.https://www.news18.com/movies/telugu-cinema/the-raja-saab-box-office-day-1-prabhas-horror-comedy-opens-strong-at-rs-45-crore-9821009.html
7.https://www.sacnilk.com/quicknews/The_Raja_Saab_2024_Box_Office_Collection_Day_2
8.https://www.hungamaexpress.com/news/38828-the-raja-saab-day-1-box-office-prabhas-starrer-beats-dhurandhar
9.https://www.koimoi.com/box-office/the-rajasaab-box-office-prabhas-magnum-opus-fails-to-surpass-stree-2-in-paid-previews/
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