Prabhas’s The Raja Saab is generating major buzz, with USD 10M North America rights, the second-highest for a Prabhas film after Kalki 2898 AD. His strong NA track record drives huge expectations. Releasing 9 January 2026 with premieres on the 8th, it faces competition from Vijay’s Jana Nayagan. Indian rights deals are massive, reflecting its hype.
Post the monumental success of Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, Prabhas has cemented his position as one of the biggest box-office forces not just in India but also in North America, Telugu cinema’s strongest overseas market outside of India. His upcoming film The Raja Saab, a comedy-horror entertainer directed by Maruthi, has already created huge waves in the trade even before release. The North American theatrical rights have reportedly been sold for a massive USD 10 million, making it the second-highest NA deal for a Prabhas starrer after Kalki 2898 AD.The deal is in tune with Prabhas’s box office pull in the region, his last release Kalki 2898 AD minted USD 18.57 million in North America, making it the second-biggest Telugu grosser only behind Baahubali 2, which remains untouched at USD 22 million. Prabhas dominates the region’s all-time charts with a total of four entries in the Top 15, including Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire at No. 12 with USD 8.94 million and Baahubali: The Beginning at No. 14 with USD 8.48 million.
Given this track record, expectations from The Raja Saab are sky-high. The film sees Prabhas in a dual role refreshing shift from his recent action-heavy outings like Kalki 2898 AD, Saaho, and Salaar. The presence of Sanjay Dutt, Nidhhi Agerwal, Malavika Mohanan, and Riddhi Kumar further strengthens its appeal. In India, the Hindi distribution rights alone have fetched an impressive Rs 75 crore, while OTT rights have crossed Rs 100 crore, proving the film’s universal hype. With the film slated for release on 9 January 2026, the North American distribution team is planning an extensive rollout. As is tradition for major Telugu releases,premieres will be held a day earlier, on 8 January, across several hundred locations. To capitalize on the massive fan base, advance bookings are set to open on 4 December, giving the film more than a month-long window to build momentum. However, The Raja Saab will not have a solo run at the box office. January 9 is shaping up to be one of the year’s most crowded release dates. The biggest competition comes from Thalapathy Vijay’s final film Jana Nayagan, co-starring Pooja Hegde and Bobby Deol which has been sold in the same circuit with a price tag of USD 7.5 million..Meanwhile, Prabhas is gearing up for Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit with Triptii Dimri, set to begin filming in November. He was currently tied with Hanu Raghavapudi’s Fauji which will now be released in two parts.
