On his 66th birthday, Sanjay Dutt didn’t get cake—he got chills. The makers of The Raja SaabIndian cinemas dropped his first-look poster on July 29, 2025, revealing a gaunt, grey-bearded Dutt standing amid cobwebs in a decaying ancestral home, his eyes burning with something older than the walls around him. The caption? "Get ready to witness a terrifying presence that will shake you to the core." And for fans who’ve seen Dutt evolve from rowdy hero to nuanced character actor, this isn’t just a role—it’s a reckoning.
The Ghost in the Family Tree
For the first time, Dutt isn’t playing the villain who crashes the party—he’s the haunting presence that never left. In The Raja Saab, he portrays the grandfather of Prabhas, who plays a dual role: the grandson trying to save his family’s crumbling cinema, and the spectral figure tied to it. The twist? The ghost isn’t some random spirit. It’s Raja Saab—a vengeful ancestor whose wrath stems from betrayal, greed, and a stolen legacy. The film blends horror with dark comedy, a tone that’s become increasingly popular in South Indian cinema after hits like Krack and Ghani.
A Production That Refused to Stay Still
What began as a modest project titled Raja Deluxe under DVV Entertainment in 2022 quickly ballooned into a multilingual spectacle. Principal photography kicked off in October 2022, but delays, reshoots, and a studio shift to People Media Factory and IVY ENTERTAINMENT stretched the timeline. By October 2025, the crew was in Greece filming a song sequence—yes, a Telugu horror-comedy with a Greek backdrop. The climax? Shot entirely on a custom-built set, with nearly 300 days of VFX work by Deccan Dreams to stitch together the supernatural elements. The final cut, according to sources, required more digital matte paintings than any Telugu film since RRR.
The Cast Behind the Curse
Prabhas carries the weight of the story, but Dutt’s presence lingers long after the screen fades. Supporting them is Boman Irani as the morally ambiguous family lawyer, Malavika Mohanan making her Telugu debut as the love interest, and Nidhhi Agerwal as the skeptical historian who uncovers the truth. Fight choreography by Ram Laxman and King Solomon ensures the ghostly battles aren’t just CGI—they’re visceral. Even the music carries menace: the track Rebel Saab, sung by Sanjith Hegde and Blaaze with lyrics by Ramajogayya Sastry, pulses with dholak and distorted sitar, evoking a temple chant gone wrong.
Release Date Chaos and the Sankranti Factor
Here’s the odd part: no one can agree on when The Raja Saab hits theaters. India Today, Times of India, and the official YouTube teaser all point to December 5, 2025. But Wikipedia, citing industry insiders, claims a January 9, 2026 release—coinciding with Sankranti, a major box office window in South India. The confusion isn’t accidental. Producers are hedging bets: a December release targets the Diwali holiday rush, while January taps into the post-holiday family viewing surge. Either way, the film will drop simultaneously in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam—a rare cross-regional strategy that signals ambition beyond regional boundaries.
Why This Matters Beyond the Screen
Sanjay Dutt’s career has always danced on the edge of legend and reality. From the 1990s tabloid frenzy to his Oscar-worthy performance in Munna Bhai M.B.B.S., he’s turned personal turmoil into cinematic gold. The Raja Saab isn’t just another horror role—it’s his third major South Indian project in three years, following KGF: Chapter 2 and Leo. That’s not coincidence. It’s strategy. Bollywood’s star power is shrinking; South Indian cinema is booming. Dutt, now 66, is quietly becoming the bridge between industries. He’s not chasing youth—he’s commanding reverence.
What’s Next for Sanjay Dutt?
Even as The Raja Saab looms, Dutt’s calendar is packed. Son of Sardaar 2 hits theaters on August 1, 2025. Baaghi 4 and Welcome to the Jungle are in post-production. And in September, he’ll appear in the Kannada film KD: The Devil. He’s not slowing down. He’s expanding his empire—one haunted house, one villainous role, one midnight screening at a time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who plays the ghost in The Raja Saab?
Sanjay Dutt portrays the ghostly antagonist Raja Saab, who is also the grandfather of Prabhas’s character. The film uses dual roles to blur the line between living heir and spectral ancestor, with Dutt’s physical transformation—grey hair, thick moustache, weathered face—making the character feel both real and otherworldly.
Why is the release date uncertain?
The December 5, 2025 date is promoted by official teasers and major outlets, but Wikipedia and industry insiders cite January 9, 2026—Sankranti—as the planned release. This reflects a strategic delay to capitalize on the post-holiday family audience in South India, where Sankranti films often outperform Diwali releases in Telugu and Kannada markets.
What’s the plot of The Raja Saab?
A financially struggling man tries to buy his family’s ancestral mansion, only to discover it’s haunted by Raja Saab—a vengeful spirit tied to a decades-old betrayal. The horror unfolds as he uncovers hidden family secrets, with the ghost’s wrath linked to a stolen inheritance and a forgotten cinematic legacy.
Is this Sanjay Dutt’s first horror role?
No. Dutt played a menacing figure in KGF: Chapter 2 and a morally ambiguous character in Leo, but The Raja Saab marks his first full-fledged horror-comedy antagonist role. He’s leaned into the genre since 2022, signaling a deliberate pivot toward darker, more layered characters in South Indian cinema.
How much of the film was shot on real locations?
While the ancestral mansion and key haunted interiors were built on sets, the Greece song sequence was filmed on location in 2025. Most exterior shots of rural villages and temples were shot in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Nearly 70% of the film’s visual effects were added in post-production, especially for ghostly apparitions and decaying architecture.
Why is this film significant for Telugu cinema?
It’s one of the rare horror-comedies with a Bollywood icon in a lead antagonist role, backed by multilingual marketing and high-end VFX. If successful, it could pave the way for more cross-industry collaborations and elevate horror as a commercially viable genre beyond the usual action-drama formula dominating Telugu cinema.