‘A Story Of Grandmother And Grandson’: Prabhas On Zarina Wahab’s Role In The Raja Saab

Pan-Indian actor Prabhas highlighted the artistic and emotional efforts of his co-stars during a lively pre-release ceremony for The Raja Saab in Hyderabad, calling veteran actress Zarina Wahab “also a hero” of the movie.

The Raja Saab, a Telugu romantic horror-comedy directed by Maruthi, is generating excitement for its ensemble cast and early box office signs ahead of its highly anticipated Sankranti premiere on January 9, 2026.

Malavika Mohanan, Nidhhi Agerwal, Riddhi Kumar, Sanjay Dutt, and Boman Irani are among the film’s stellar supporting cast members, all of whom Prabhas praised for their performances and on-screen personas.

Prabhas Praises Veteran Performer Zarina Wahab

At the star-studded pre-release event for The Raja Saab in Hyderabad,

Prabhas described how Zarina Wahab’s depiction of a grandmother captivated him so much that he would lose sight of his own lines while dubbing her sequences.

“This is a story about a grandmother and grandson. Zarina Wahab has acted wonderfully as the grandmother. While dubbing, I was so absorbed in her scenes that I forgot my own dialogues,” the ‘Baahubali’ actor said at the event.

“I became a fan of my on-screen grandmother. In this film, along with me, the grandmother character is also a hero,” he added.

Prabhas also complimented all three primary women in the movie, highlighting their unique attributes, such as Riddhi Kumar’s dedicated performance, Malavika’s expressive eyes, and Nidhhi Agerwal’s composed professionalism on set.

Prabhas Lauds Sanjay Dutt’s On-Screen Performance

In the same speech, Prabhas also praised Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, who portrays the main adversary in the film.

He described Dutt’s presence as “amazing” and said that the Bollywood star’s close-up shots “completely dominate the frame,” highlighting Dutt’s longstanding prominence in Indian film.

Dutt can be seen as the primary rival clashing in The Raja Saab, a month after his outstanding performance in Aditya Dhar’s blockbuster Bollywood period spy thriller Dhurandhar.

Pre-Release Buzz and Early Business

Beyond merely promoting events, the Raja Saab has already become prominent. More than ten days before its release, trade trackers report that the movie had earned almost Rs 2 crore in gross pre-sales in the United States, indicating early worldwide interest in Prabhas’s most recent endeavour.

“The REBEL SAAB Mania is just getting started 🔥👑 North America launches pre-sales with $200K and counting. INDIA’S BIGGEST HORROR FANTASY. The RajaSaab Premieres on Jan 8th 💥Overseas release by Prathyangira US and People Cinemas,” the information read.

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The genre of the movie, which combines horror, romance, humour, and mass entertainment, has elicited a range of reactions. Some critics have noted that The Raja Saab might require more promotional momentum in order to compete with Prabhas’s prior pan-Indian blockbusters.