'The Raja Saab' Review Will Be Affected By Negative Campaign Against It? Producer SKN Revealed

The Raja Saab is a pan-India horror-comedy film starring Prabhas. The much-awaited movie has hit the theatres worldwide on January 9, 2026. It marks a significant genre shift for Prabhas, moving from his usual high-octane action or epic roles to a role with more fantasy, comedy and horror elements. The movie has opened to mixed audience reviews, with common themes across early reactions and critical reception. Earlier, there was chatter about a smear campaign against The Raja Saab, making fans wonder whether it affected audience reception. The movie's creative producer, SKN, opened up about the same.

Sreenivas Kumar Naidu alleged that a Tollywood producer spread a negative narrative about The Raja Saab

The Raja Saab's creative producer, Sreenivas Kumar Naidu, popularly known as SKN, claimed that a fellow Tollywood producer had attempted to sabotage the film during a promotional event. SKN alleged that the unnamed industry figure tried to push a "negative narrative" when the filming of Prabhas' movie first began. He further stated that this person would eventually be forced to heap praises on the film due to its quality. It showcased his confidence in the movie's potential and in the actors' performances. Detailing the smear campaign, SKN stated:

"I am well aware of how a producer tried to negatively campaign on this film when they began shooting. Now see how the same producer will talk positively about the film tomorrow."

The creative producer also lauded the lead star for his unwavering support, noting that the film would not have been possible without the Bahubali actor, who never bought into the negative talk and remained committed to the project. According to him, the creation of The Raja Saab was only possible because "Prabhas gave his best without believing in those campaigns." SKN also shared that, regardless of external noise, the public is in for a treat when they watch the movie on the big screen. He wanted everyone to hit the theatres and change their views about it, in case they missed the classic "rebel God" avatar of Prahas. Praising the movie, SKN mentioned:

"Everybody who underestimated this film will change their mind. You'll see the 'rebel God' Prabhas, whom you've missed for a decade now."

The Raja Saab faced other troubles in its production phase

The Raja Saab's director, Maruthi, revealed the project's early difficulties, sharing that an initial producer had dropped out, nearly leading him to shelve the film. It was actor, Prabhas who encouraged him to continue with the movie's production. Besides a producer opting out, the horror fantasy movie faced additional production issues. In late 2025, producer, TG Vishwa Prasad alleged that a VFX supervisor had attempted to extort the production by delaying work and threatening the director, which contributed to the film's postponement from its original release slot.

Despite these reported early setbacks, The Raja Saab was successfully released in theatres on January 9, 2026. On its release day, director, Maruthi also announced a sequel titled, The Raja Saab 2: Circus 1935. The film stars Prabhas as the titular character, 'Raja Saab', Sanjay Dutt as 'Kanakaraju', Malavika Mohanan as 'Bhairavi', Nidhhi Agerwal and Riddhi Kumar as 'Anitha.'

Fan review of The Raja Saab

Fans have praised Prabhas' return to a vintage, energetic, and comedic role after a decade of heavy action films. His screen presence is widely cited as the film's primary strength. Many viewers highlighted the final 30 to 40 minutes as the most engaging part of the film, describing it as power-packed and emotional. While the first half faced some criticism for pacing, several online users noted that the movie picks up significantly after the interval. Sanjay Dutt's presence was described as a pleasant surprise, and Thaman's background score was said to have elevated the horror and action sequences.

Are you excited to watch The Raja Saab? Let us know.

Also Read: 'Bha Bha Ba' OTT Release Date Revealed, When And Where To Watch Mohanlal's Action Comedy?

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