Riteish Deshmukh Announces 'Raja Shivaji' On Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti, To Direct And Act In it

Riteish Deshmukh, on Monday, on the occasion of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti, announced his second directorial based on the life of Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The film is titled 'Raja Shivaji. Riteish took to his Instagram handle and shared the first-look poster of his upcoming film with a lengthy post. The poster features a silhouette of Shivaji Maharaj's character along with the film's title.

He wrote, ''In the annals of history, there emerges a figure who transcends mere mortal existence—a legend, an icon, an eternal flame of inspiration. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is not a mere historical figure; he is an emotion, a timeless saga of valor, and a beacon of hope that has illuminated hearts for over three and a half centuries.''

''Our deepest aspiration has always been to immortalize his awe-inspiring journey on the grand canvas of cinema—a journey of epic proportions, depicting the rise of a boy who defied the invincible, sparking the flames of Swarajya. A rebel whose courage knew no bounds, he didn’t just rule land, he conquered hearts, earning the endearing title of ‘Raja Shivaji’,'' Riteish wrapped up his post.

The historical drama is produced by his wife Genelia Deshmukh and Jyoti Deshpande. Music is composed by Ajay-Atul. It will be released in Marathi and Hindi. Riteish Deshmukh will be playing the lead character of Chhatrapati Shivaji.

Riteish has been always keen on doing a film on Chhatrapati Shivaji and today he feels honoured that he is able to make a film on the warrior. The actor Hindustan Times, “His stories have been heard by everyone in and outside Maharashtra and teach us to stand against injustice.”

The 45-year-old actor made his directorial debut with Marathi film 'Ved' in 2022. He also starred in the movie alongside his wife, Genelia. It was a blockbuster. The “overwhelming love of audiences for Ved” has encouraged Riteish to make the film on Shivaji. “In the last 10 years, our quest has been to make new and fresh content in MFC. For Raja Shivaji, I don’t think I can trust anyone else. Genelia is fantastic with planning and is the most important part of the film as the producer, and, I feel, as a director, I am in safe hands,'' he said.