Sankranti Phenomenon
Director Maruthi beams with pride as The Raja Saab, starring Rebel Star Prabhas, races past ₹201 crore worldwide gross in just four days, dominating as Tollywood's biggest Sankranti blockbuster. Families across sections rave about the horror-fantasy innovation, crediting Prabhas' versatile show, Maruthi's bold vision, and People Media Factory's grand scale. In a candid interview, Maruthi shared insights on the triumph.
Audience Connect & Box Office Fire
"The film earns love from everyone – hitting ₹200 crore pre-Sankranti proves genuine enjoyment," Maruthi said. "We anticipated our psychological-fantasy mix might need time, but Prabhas calmed me: 'New attempts connect gradually, darling.' Post-added old-getup scenes, he confirmed perfection. Sankranti holidays will amplify this momentum."
Bold Creative Choices
Maruthi explained diverging from light fare: "Boman Irani's entry shifts to psychological depth – not basic ghost-killing, but layered storytelling for a pan-India star. Social media demands transparency, so I addressed feedback Day 2. Now, personal messages flood in: 'It's brilliant!' Second watches reveal subconscious trance visuals and reverse old-getup sequences – Prabhas obsessed 15 days per scene for that Joker smile impact."
Fan & Industry Love
"Prabhas fans are family – they adore his colorful songs, dances, and fresh avatar. Industry giants like Nag Ashwin and Sandeep Reddy Vanga congratulated personally. I stayed resilient amid trolling – every film faces it. B/C centres housefull from intro scenes validate our low-expectation buildup over routine climax fights."
Technical Triumphs & Dreams
"CG challenges taught volumes – I spent two months designing scenes vs. 40 days for past scripts. Directing Chiranjeevi garu would complete my journey – I'm his huge fan. Right now, celebrating peaceful Sankranti with audience joy!"
