Sankranthi: Will Dil Raju Afford To Upset Prabhas?

Sankranthi is set to witness five releases this year, including The Raja Saab, Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu, Anaganaga Oka Raju, Bhartha Mahasayulaku Vignapthi, and Nari Nari Naduma Murari. Mythri is releasing The Raja Saab, while Dil Raju is backing the remaining four films. The festive clash has already drawn attention within trade circles.

This situation closely mirrors the 2023 Sankranthi season. At that time, Mythri supported Hanuman, while Dil Raju handled the other releases. However, Hanuman was the smallest film then, whereas Rajasaab is the biggest project this season. The scale difference has changed expectations across markets.

During the 2023 season, Dil Raju stirred debate with his statement, “చిన్న సినిమాలకు చిన్న న్యాయం… పెద్ద సినిమాలకు పెద్ద న్యాయం”. The question now is whether the same principle is being followed. Ground-level reports suggest a different reality unfolding.
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Industry buzz indicates that Dil Raju’s SVC banner is making the situation difficult for The Raja Saab at the distribution level. In Kukatpally, Rajasaab currently has no single screen theatre. By contrast, Salaar had six theatres in the same area.

A similar pattern is visible in Khammam City. Salaar secured three theatres there, while The Raja Saab does not have a second theatre at present. Reports suggest comparable challenges in several other centres. Clarity is expected only in the coming weeks.

Mythri is attempting to expand its footprint in the Nizam region. However, the banner is facing difficulties in Hyderabad City, where it reportedly controls fewer than ten theatres. This limitation is impacting the overall release strength.

Hanuman also saw a compact release in 2024. In Hyderabad City, the film opened in single digit theatres. The Raja Saab, however, carries significantly higher stakes due to its scale and investment.

People Media Factory is reportedly asking for 90 Crore for the Nizam region rights of The Raja Saab. The final rate is yet to be closed. Even after negotiations, the deal is expected to involve a substantial amount.

Upsetting The Raja Saab could also mean upsetting Prabhas. This factor adds another layer of sensitivity to the situation. It remains to be seen whether Dil Raju can afford such a move, especially with future plans to produce a film with Prabhas.