Prabhas-starrer ‘The Raja Saab’ trailer trolled for poor VFX

The trailer for 'The Raja Saab', a horror-comedy entertainer starring Prabhas, was released on Sunday, promising audiences a blend of fantasy, humour, action, and romance. Directed by Maruthi, the film is reportedly India’s most expensive horror fantasy, boasting a staggering budget of ₹450 crore.

The trailer opens with Prabhas under hypnosis, delving into his past, only to sense the presence of a strange creature lurking in the dark. What begins as a spine-chilling sequence quickly shifts into lighter tones, as the visuals move towards comedy and romance. The narrative also hints at heavy doses of action, suggesting a multi-genre entertainer.

However, the VFX, on which the trailer heavily relies, fell flat for several viewers as they noted that the visual effects appeared overdone, weakening the impact of the horror elements. Despite being described as a “Pongal feast” for audiences, the trailer’s CGI has triggered a wave of online trolling.

The film features Malavika Mohanan, Nidhhi Agerwal and Riddhi Kumar as the female leads, alongside Sanjay Dutt, Samuthirakani, Zarina Wahab and Boman Irani. Produced by T G Vishwa Prasad, The Raja Saab credits Thaman for its music, Rajeevan for production design and Deccan Dreams for its VFX. Karthik Palani handles cinematography.

The trailer also pays homage to Bollywood nostalgia by opening with a rendition of the popular track Koi Yaha Aake Nache Nache, super hit song from the 1982 movie Disco Dancer. This will be Prabhas’s first full-fledged horror entertainer since Kalki. Maruthi, whose last directorial was Pakka Commercial (2022) starring Gopichand, returns with this ambitious venture set to release on 5 December in five languages, including Malayalam.