The Raja Saab Review

Some movies start with a simple emotional hook and then slowly build a solid story around it. The Raja Saab also begins with something that could have been interesting: Prabhas’ dadi is searching for Prabhas’ dada—and that search becomes the starting point of the film.

Sounds like a decent setup, right?

But as the story moves ahead, the film keeps changing lanes like a bike on a busy Indian road—no indicator, no logic, and no destination. It wants to be a comedy, a fantasy, an action entertainer, and also a romance… and in trying to be everything, it ends up being mostly confusion.

What The Raja Saab Is About (Spoiler-Light Story Setup)

The film begins with Prabhas’ grandmother searching for his grandfather. That mystery becomes the base of the plot and pushes Prabhas’ character toward the bigger story.

So far, fine.

But soon, the movie starts adding scenes that feel disconnected from the main track. One of the most odd moments is when Prabhas asks a girl’s father for money. The scene feels awkward, unnatural, and honestly… it makes you wonder why it even exists like that.

Then comes another turning point where the film completely shifts mood.

Prabhas is supposed to be going on a mission to find his grandfather, but suddenly, he switches focus to impress a girl—and uses the money he borrowed to go save a child, mainly to look heroic in front of her.

At that point, you start asking:

Wait, we were searching for dada… now we are doing “impress the girl” sequences?
Is this story moving forward or just jumping around?

That’s the main issue with The Raja Saab: it keeps going somewhere else every time it should go deeper into the main story.

The Biggest Problem: Comedy Film Ka Aadhar Hai… But Laugh Kahan Hai?

The movie is clearly built like a comedy entertainer, but the real problem is simple:

I am not laughing.

Comedy needs timing, writing, and situations that naturally create humour. Here, many scenes feel like they are trying too hard, and the jokes don’t land the way they should.

It’s like the film is saying:
“Laugh now.”
But your face is saying:
“Why?”

The Story Has One Interesting Track… But Keeps Leaving It

Honestly, the main story (dada mystery + fantasy angle) is the only thing that has some potential.

But the film keeps wasting time on everything except that.

You’ll notice a repeated pattern that continues for a big part of the runtime:

✅ Story → ❤️ Prabhas romance → ✅ Story → ❤️ Romance → ✅ Story

This constant switching kills momentum. Instead of building tension, mystery, or excitement, the movie keeps taking breaks to push romance—whether it fits or not.

And if you’ve watched many recent Prabhas films, this will feel familiar:
“Bina baat ka romance karne ki chull.”

Random Action: “Director Kuch Bhi Karwa Raha Hai”

Another issue: forced action scenes.

At times, the director introduces action sequences without proper buildup. It feels like the film suddenly remembers:
“Oh yes, hero is Prabhas. Put action now.”

But even the action doesn’t feel smart or thrilling. Some parts come across as stupid action, the kind where you’re not excited—you’re just confused.

Instead of being a fantasy-comedy with clever set pieces, it becomes a patchwork of:

random fights
random romance
random comedy attempts
and a story that is trying to hold it all together

Confusion Over Storytelling: “Kahani Nahi, Confusion Hi Confusion”

This line fits perfectly for The Raja Saab.

The film doesn’t feel like it’s progressing in a clean direction. It feels like it’s expanding sideways—adding scenes, characters, moments—but not tightening the narrative.

Even when something interesting happens, the movie quickly moves away to another track.

So yes:
It’s not a story-driven film. It’s a confusion-driven film.

Twist Comes… And You Think “Ab Maza Aayega”

To be fair, the movie does bring a twist. And for a moment, you feel:
“Okay, now it’s getting serious. Now it might become fun.”

This is the point where the core story finally starts showing some teeth, and the fantasy angle begins to come in properly.

But the movie’s biggest weakness returns again:
It stretches. It drags. It over-explains. It overplays.

Sanjay Dutt’s Character: Villain, But A Bit Different

One of the more interesting parts is Sanjay Dutt’s character.

Yes, it’s still a villain role, but it feels slightly different from his usual template. There’s a unique flavour to how his character is presented and how he plays mind games later in the film.

In the climax, the “game” Sanjay Dutt plays with Prabhas feels fresh in concept. You can sense the writers had at least one strong idea here.

But then the film does the worst thing possible:
It drags the climax.

Climax: Good Idea, Bad Execution (Kheench Kheench Ke…)

The climax is where many movies save themselves.

Here, the climax concept is interesting… but the execution is painful because it’s stretched too long.

It reaches a point where you’re not tense or emotional—you’re just tired.

You’ll literally feel like:
“Ro ro ke pray karoge ki khatam kar do ise.”

That’s not a joke. That’s the audience experience.

VFX & Visuals: One Department That Did Their Job Well

Now let’s talk about the positive.

The VFX work is good.

When the film steps into its fantasy world and uses visual effects, you can see effort and quality. It’s not perfect, but it’s definitely one of the stronger technical aspects.

If the story and writing were tighter, the visuals could have supported something genuinely entertaining.

But here, VFX becomes like good decoration on a weak building.

The “Fantasy World” Concept… Doesn’t Impress

This is a fantasy film, but the fantasy world should feel magical, detailed, and exciting.

Here, the fantasy portions don’t feel as well imagined as they should be. At times, it feels like the film shows you fantasy elements but doesn’t make you feel the fantasy.

In simple words:
The movie tries to explain fantasy… but doesn’t make it lovable.

First Half: Mostly Setup, Not Much Payoff

The first half is largely about setting up the story, characters, and motivations.

That’s fine—many films do that.

But the problem is: the setup doesn’t feel engaging enough. The pacing is slow, and the humour doesn’t support it. So the first half feels like it’s waiting for the film to start properly.

And when the movie finally begins to get interesting, it again gets pulled into romance and distractions.

Prabhas Performance: Not Scary, Not Funny

A major expectation from a film like this is that the hero can carry the tone—especially if it’s comedy or fantasy.

But in this film:

Prabhas isn’t able to scare you
Prabhas isn’t able to make you laugh

That’s not fully on him—direction matters a lot. The bigger issue is that the film doesn’t give him a consistent character journey. It keeps pushing him into random moments: romance here, action there, emotional scene somewhere else.

So even Prabhas starts feeling like he’s inside a movie that doesn’t know what it wants.

Length & Pacing: This Film Did Not Need To Be This Long

One thing is 100% confirmed:

The Raja Saab did not need to be this long.

The story could have been sharper, faster, and cleaner if it was trimmed properly. Many scenes feel like filler, especially the romance interruptions and forced action blocks.

And yes—by the end, it also feels like the story has been pushed forward without proper closure, almost like it’s trying to keep space for more.

What Works in The Raja Saab

VFX and visuals are good in several sequences
Sanjay Dutt’s character has a slightly unique vibe
One twist + climax concept has potential (concept only)

What Doesn’t Work (And There’s A Lot)

Comedy doesn’t land → you don’t laugh
Romance feels forced and repetitive
Random action scenes break flow
Story feels confusing, not engaging
First half is too setup-heavy
Climax is stretched to the point of frustration
Fantasy world lacks emotional pull
Runtime needed serious trimming

Final Rating: ⭐ 1/5

The Raja Saab has one core story that could have been interesting. But the film keeps distracting itself with forced romance, random action, and uneven comedy. The visuals are good, and Sanjay Dutt brings something different, but the movie’s pacing and confusion drown whatever potential it had.

If you’re someone who enjoys every Prabhas release no matter what, you may watch it once.
If you’re going for a genuinely funny fantasy entertainer—this one will disappoint.

Overall: 1/5

FAQ

Is The Raja Saab worth watching?

Only if you are a die-hard Prabhas fan or you want to watch it for VFX and fantasy visuals. Otherwise, it can feel too long and confusing.

Is The Raja Saab a comedy movie?

It is designed like a comedy entertainer, but the comedy doesn’t land consistently, so many viewers may not find it funny.

What is the biggest issue in The Raja Saab?

The biggest issues are forced romance, random action, confusing storytelling, and an over-stretched climax.

How is Sanjay Dutt in The Raja Saab?

Sanjay Dutt’s character feels different from his usual villain roles and the climax “game” concept is unique, but the film stretches the ending too much.