Raja Saab Teaser: Prabhas Is Back to Having Fun, But Should We Trust It?

I didn’t expect to say this, but the teaser of The Raja Saab actually caught me off guard—in a good way. Especially considering this is coming from Maruthi, whose last outing (Pakka Commercial) was anything but promising. And yet, here we are… watching Prabhas walk back into a zone he once ruled.

It kicks off with an almost eerie calm. A massive palace, buried under thick roots and surrounded by forest, immediately sets the tone. There’s something unsettling about it—but not in a typical horror way. We see grand ornaments, royal crowns, and even a crocodile chilling in a pool inside the palace. Sanjay Dutt appears like a ghostly king, calmly declaring that even in death, he’s not done enjoying his wealth. It’s not your regular horror setup, and that’s probably why it works.

Then comes the surprise: Prabhas. Not the silent, brooding warrior we’ve been seeing lately, but the charming, playful Prabhas fans have missed. There’s a sudden shift in tone when he appears. His comic timing, the darling slang, the casual flirtation—it's all back. One scene with Malavika stands out, where she points at bite marks on her neck and he casually apologizes, saying he might’ve bitten her unknowingly. That’s the kind of cheeky fun that’s been missing in his recent roles.

Visually, it’s richer than I expected. Not in a flashy, overdone way—but polished and immersive. The palace feels like it has layers we haven’t been shown yet. There’s even a blink-and-you-miss-it shot of something happening on the ceiling—like a secret meeting or another world. I’m guessing they’ll unpack that later.

There are horror touches—a creepy face in a portrait, smoke hands crawling, a black cat descending a staircase—but nothing that screams “jump scare.” The teaser leans more into mood than actual fear. Honestly, it feels like horror and comedy are walking hand in hand here. And with Prabhas leading the way, the comedy might just take the spotlight.

The background score by Thaman is loud, sure, but it does its job. It carries the weight of the visuals without overwhelming them. It’s the kind of BGM that makes the teaser feel bigger than it probably is—and maybe that’s the point.

Now, as much as I enjoyed watching this, I can’t shake off the worry. We’ve seen this before—trailers that show us all the highlights and leave nothing for the actual film. Whistle-worthy scenes stuffed into promos just to build hype, only for the final product to feel hollow. I hope The Raja Saab isn’t headed down that road.

That said, this teaser does one thing really well: it reminds us what made Prabhas such a beloved star in the first place. It doesn’t try too hard to be something it’s not. It’s playful, strange, a little spooky—and totally unexpected.

Is this the comeback we’ve been waiting for? Maybe. But I’m keeping my expectations in check. Because while this palace looks exciting, the real test begins when the doors finally open.