Prabhas was recently seen in Kalki which happens to be the highest grossing film of the year 2024. It is going very well at the box office on all counts with particularly good numbers in the USA and the Hindi belt.
While the success and accreditation is on one side, the situation is such that the success of Kalki has added an extra burden on Maruthi who is directing Prabhas’s next.
Maruthi is making Raja Saab with Prabhas and this film has been in the making for a while now. It will be the immediate next release of Prabhas.
Incidentally, Prabhas in the back of two blockbusters Salaar and Kalki. He played larger than life roles in both the films and they are going great guns at the box office.
At this point in time, a film with Maruthi could be seen as completely out of sync. Of late, the audience have only been seeing Prabhas in larger than life roles and now, with Maruthi’s film, there will be a complete tonal shift.
The pan-Indian chances are anyway in doubt but the onus is on Maruthi to come good with fans who have also been doubting him.
That being said, getting to watch the energetic and massy side of Prabhas through Maruthi is going to be exciting in itself. Maruthi worked his trick with Mahanubhavudu and Bhale Manchi Magadivoi with hero characterization.
If he can scale it up and present Prabhas in a winning manner, it would offer something new to the native audience at least, who are served only the larger-than-life side of Prabhas. Getting back to the “Darling” and “Mr Perfect” days would be a brief reprieve of sorts.
Either way, Maruthi must deliver a winning product and that is for certain. Else, he would be subject to intense criticism from all quarters.
