The Raja Saab's pre-release event was held on Saturday evening in Hyderabad.
Speaking on the occasion, Prabhas described distributor Anil Thadani as a brother who has always supported him by backing his movies in the Hindi market. He praised Sanjay Dutt's screen presence, saying that he totally dominates the screen in close-up shots. Zarina Wahab plays Prabhas' grandmom in the film. "I have become a fan of hers. She is the other hero of the movie. The Raja Saab is the story of a grandmother and her grandson," the superstar revealed. "By the time the film ended, I became a fan of Maruthi. The climax is so dashing that I wonder if he wrote the climax with a machine gun. We haven't seen such a climax before. I don't know how he conceived it. After 15 years, I have done an entertainer," Prabhas said.
In his speech, Prabhas described Malavika Mohanan as tall and beautiful, thanking her for working hard on the film over 2.5 years. Nidhhi Agerwal, he shared, was everyone's favourite on set. "She is beautiful, nice and calm," the Salaar actor noted. Action director King Solomon came in for a mention.
Prabhas praised producer TG Vishwa Prasad for never getting nervous despite the budget getting spiked vastly. "While we had second thoughts, he didn't have any. His strength is something else. He is the film's true hero," the Fauzi star added.
Distributor Anil Thadani wished the producer-director duo all the best. "Prabhas is like a brother to me. He deserves all the love. Seeing his fans here is heartening," he added.
Creative Producer SKN said, "The day Maruthi met Prabhas, he was resolute about focussing entirely on the film for the next three years. This makes me emotional because Maruthi and I have known each other for decades. We struggled a lot in the initial days. Today, Prabhas has given a great opportunity to him. I can't resist glorifying Prabhas. Producer Vishwa Prasad has been this project's rock-solid foundation. The Release Trailer, at more than 3 minutes, is going to raise your expectations to the skies. Prabhas is the most lovable person. He is pure-hearted. He is one star who can create a toofan even in Japan. This Sankranthi, you are going to punt on a dinosaur, not on hens. It's going to be a mass dhamaka for 3 hours and ten minutes."
Actress Nidhhi Agerwal described Prabhas as India's biggest superstar. She repeated a punchline from Saaho. "I can't wait to see what Thaman has done with his BGM," the heroine said.
Actress Malavika Mohanan shared, "It was my dream to make a debut in Telugu with a special film. Getting to make one with India's biggest superstar is something I never imagined. It has been an absolute honour to share the screen space with Prabhas. I thank Maruthi for giving me the opportunity to dance and do romance, comedy, action and drama in the film."
Actress Riddhi Kumar described the movie as an absolute entertainer, adding that Maruthi has done an incredible job.
Actress Zarina Wahab described the opportunity as a very good one in her 40-year-old career. "The star cast and others fully eased me into the role in The Raja Saab. Prabhas is one of the finest human beings I have worked with. My blessings are with him," she added.
Comedian Saptagiri predicted that the film will gross Rs 2000 Cr for sure. "I was damn sure that Salaar would become a sensational hit and that's what happened. I just watched the Release Trailer. I am all the more confident," he added.
The Raja Saab will open in theatres on the evening of January 8 with paid premieres in the domestic market.
