The Raja Saab is the first Sankranthi film to complete all censor formalities in all languages. It is also the first major film to arrive in theatres during this festival season. Earlier reports suggested that the film’s runtime was more than three hours, but the makers have trimmed about fifteen minutes from the final cut.
Made as a horror-comedy, The Raja Saab initially received a U/A certificate with a censored runtime of 189 minutes (3 hours and 9 minutes). However, director Maruthi recently clarified in an interview that this is not the final length. He revealed that a few more scenes were removed after censoring, and the final runtime is now expected to be around 175 minutes (2 hours and 55 minutes).
As the first film to release during the Sankranthi season, The Raja Saab is aiming for a strong opening at the box office. The makers are also planning paid premiere shows in both Telugu states on January 8. But an official announcement will be made only after receiving approval from the respective state governments.