When Horror Meets Budgeting: A Look at The Raja Saab
Director Maruthi’s horror comedy, The Raja Saab, has been lurking in the shadows since 2022, creeping out of production just in time for a flashy announcement in 2024. The film, starring the ever-busy Prabhas, has seen a change in production houses—because why not switch things up when you have a ₹400 crore budget to play with? Now, People Media Factory holds the reins, while producer TG Vishwa Prasad conveniently dodges questions about financial specifics, likely because he’s too busy counting cash.
Budget Reveal: A Slip of the Tongue or a Glorious Exposition?
While promoting The Raja Saab, Sandeep Reddy Vanga had a moment of accidental honesty—quite a rarity in the film industry. He revealed the film’s budget, a staggering ₹400 crore, which he casually tossed out during an interview with Prabhas, who was miraculously under the impression that wrapping up the film in 40 days was a reasonable expectation. “It’s a big set, three heroines, songs, a daadi (grandmother)—and a ₹400 crore budget,” he quipped. Clearly, Prabhas is better at battling monsters than managing production timelines.
Rubbing Shoulders with the Big Names
This budget puts The Raja Saab in the same league as cinematic leviathans like SS Rajamouli’s RRR and AR Murugadoss’s Sikandar, both boasting budgets around ₹400 crore. Apparently, when you’re throwing this much money around, you can’t help but join the elite “big bucks” club. Vishwa, during a promotional event in Mumbai, was asked about this grandiosity, but rather than giving straight answers, he did the time-honored dance of ambiguity. “Let’s just say the film’s budget has a lot of zeroes,” he teased, probably counting them as he spoke.
The Alluring 40-Minute Climax
As if the budget wasn’t eye-watering enough, Vishwa teased a 40-minute climax that took two and a half years to orchestrate. One can only imagine the painstaking choreography involved in such a prolonged finale—perhaps featuring a dance number with a broom? “You will see the most grandiose 40-minute climax emerge from 120 days of shooting,” he promised, leaving audiences scrambling to understand how much drama can be squeezed into four decades of celluloid time.
More Than Just a Film
It seems The Raja Saab is shaping up to be more than just a film; it’s a lavish spectacle designed to dazzle even the most jaded moviegoer. With Prabhas, Sanjay Dutt, Boman Irani, and a myriad of other actors, this ensemble cast is perhaps a statement on how many stars one can throw at a production before it bursts at the seams. Only in Indian cinema can a horror comedy turn into a blockbuster of fiscal proportions.
The Price of Admission in an Upscale Universe
As if the extravagant budget wasn’t incentive enough, fans of the genre can take solace in knowing that ticket prices are set to reflect the film’s grandeur. The filmmakers have been granted permission to raise ticket prices in Andhra Pradesh, making first-night tickets a cool ₹1000. Because who needs savings when you can witness a horror comedy that might just steal your wallet instead of your scream?
Final Thoughts: A Cinematic Cash Grab?
So, as we eagerly await the release of The Raja Saab on January 9, one can’t help but wonder if we’re about to witness more than just a movie; it’s likely an extravaganza that challenges the very fabric of budget cinema. Will it be a gripping spectacle or yet another rollercoaster ride through the horror-comedy realm? Only time will tell, as we count the days—and the zeroes in the budget—until its grand unveiling.
