Riteish Deshmukh Aims to Take Marathi Cinema to Newer Levels With Raja Shivaji

Jio Studios and Mumbai Film Company are backing Raja Shivaji, a large-scale historical drama led by Riteish Deshmukh. The film traces the life and enduring influence of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on 1 May 2026 in Marathi and Hindi, targeting audiences across India and overseas.

Riteish Deshmukh serves as lead actor, director, writer and producer on Raja Shivaji, turning the project into a personal milestone. The film is described as a blend of intimate storytelling and wide appeal, aiming to engage viewers interested in history as well as regular mainstream cinema audiences across regions and languages.

Raja Shivaji cast and scale

Raja Shivaji assembles a cast drawn from both Hindi and Marathi cinema, underlining the project’s pan-India intent. The ensemble includes Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Vidya Balan, Mahesh Manjrekar, Sachin Khedekar, Boman Irani, Bhagyashree, Fardeen Khan, Jitendra Joshi, Amol Gupte, Genelia Deshmukh and Riteish Vilasrao Deshmukh in key roles linked to Shivaji Maharaj’s journey.

The film positions the story of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at its centre, while using large-scale visuals and detailed world-building. The makers highlight strong action sequences and elaborate period settings designed for a global cinema audience. Music duo Ajay-Atul compose the soundtrack, which is expected to underline the film’s historical mood and emotional arc.

Raja Shivaji teaser, reception and Raja Shivaji box office context

A teaser for Raja Shivaji released a few weeks earlier and drew an upbeat reaction from viewers. Early responses praised the scale of the visuals and the promise of intense battle scenes. The Marathi-language core, combined with a planned Hindi version, signals an attempt to reach both regional loyalists and wider national viewers.

Riteish Deshmukh has spent nearly 25 years in films and is known in both Hindi and Marathi industries. In Marathi cinema, none of Riteish Deshmukh’s releases has turned into a box office failure. Projects such as Ved, Mauli and Lai Bhari helped strengthen Riteish Deshmukh’s image as a bankable name for commercial Marathi films.

With Raja Shivaji, Riteish Deshmukh moves from contemporary stories to a historical subject rooted in Indian history. The film seeks to balance large-scale action and crowd-pleasing moments with a narrative focused on the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The story aims to connect cultural pride with accessible entertainment.

Raja Shivaji is presented by Jio Studios and produced by Jyoti Deshpande and Genelia Deshmukh under Mumbai Film Company. Positioned as a historical epic about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s life and impact, the film plans to use its May 2026 global release to present a Marathi-led story with broad reach, combining scale, emotional themes and spectacle-driven storytelling.