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The Raja Saab, which hit theatres on January 9, has now completed nearly two weeks at the box office. The film opened to mixed reviews, prompting predictable trolling on social media from anti-fans. Initially, Prabhas fans responded strongly online, but the exchanges largely remained confined to digital arguments, with no serious real-world incidents reported.

There were apprehensions that director Maruthi might face personal backlash, including concerns about protests near his residence. However, Prabhas fans largely exercised restraint during this phase, earning appreciation for their composed and large-hearted response.

As other festival releases began drawing attention and The Raja Saab settled into its box-office run, conversations around the film gradually faded. Neither overwhelming praise nor severe criticism dominated the discourse.

However, the situation took a sharp turn on January 21. Social media platforms, particularly Twitter, witnessed a sudden and intense wave of trolling directed at director Maruthi and the film’s creative producer SKN. Hundreds of abusive posts, memes, and comments flooded timelines throughout the day, many of them attributed to Prabhas fan accounts.

The scale and apparent coordination of this online attack surprised industry observers and even other fan groups, giving the impression of a planned campaign. The underlying intent appeared to be an effort to place the entire blame for the film’s underperformance squarely on director Maruthi and his close associate, SKN, while excluding other contributing factors.