'Raja Saab' review: Prabhas can't save this royal bore
What's the story
Prabhas-led The Raja Saab, directed by Maruthi, is finally out after being stuck in production for over three years. Also featuring Zarina Wahab, Sanjay Dutt, Boman Irani, and Malavika Mohanan, among others, the horror-comedy falls flat on its face. With an overstretched screenplay, it ends up as the kind of dull film that spoils your day. Here's our review of the Hindi version.
Plot
The film mixes elements of horror, comedy, suspense
The Raja Saab follows a young man named Raju (Prabhas), who lives with his grandmother, Gangamma (Wahab). His search for his grandfather, Kanakaraju (Dutt), takes him to a haunted mansion. Raju eventually realizes that his ancestor is actually an "exorcist, psychiatrist, and hypnotist," and wants to kill Gangamma. Can Raju defeat his grandfather before it's too late?
#1
Prabhas's charm is wasted here
Prabhas has finally switched genres in an era when leading stars are desperate for violent action films. A welcome change, since his goofiness is the only factor that somewhat makes you keep watching. But even he can't uplift the film, constricted by a confused script. Meanwhile, Dutt, whose roles in South Indian films have begun to seem indistinguishable, is confined to another forgettable character.
#2
A hodgepodge of ideas
Throughout this bloated, over three-hour-long mess, Maruthi seems to be trapped in his own ambitious ideas. The film flickers with potential occasionally, only to go back to its outdated execution. With its corny romance, low-brow humor, awkward characters, and a deafening background score that drowns out dialogue, the film has no redeeming aspects. Maruthi throws everything at the wall, hoping something sticks.
#3
When will women be given decent roles?
The Raja Saab is overrun with numerous secondary characters, and apart from Dutt, Wahab, and Irani, the others are largely unimportant. Mohanan, Nidhhi Agerwal, and Riddhi Kumar exist only because they have to, not because their characters have anything to say. Maruthi wastes them, keeping them in the frame only to satiate his male audience. Surely women have something else to offer besides glamor?
#4
More on the above aspect
While Mohanan is introduced as an important character with some agency, she's soon sidelined to make space for Prabhas. Picture this: The stakes are high, Kanakaraju is ready to slit throats, and everyone is stuck in a haunted mansion, and here, three women are fawning over Raju, begging for his love. If the movie refuses to take itself seriously, why should we?
Verdict
A true test of your patience; 1.5/5 stars
The past portions are intriguing, but your patience is already exhausted by the time the movie reaches thrilling sequences. There are lavish sets and extensive VFX, but they can't save a film that desperately needed good writing. Maruthi is preoccupied with the scale, songs, and production design, and thus, the story moves painfully slowly. Run away from The Raja Saab. 1.5/5 stars.