Image Credit: Amit Bhatia (@amitbhatia1509) via X
A story of passion and dedication, Riteish Deshmukh gave his 10 years into the making of this directorial, which arrived in full glam on Maharashtra Day,1 May 2026. Raja Shivaji proved what Marathi cinema is genuinely capable of delivering.
Riteish’s performance
A year of gruelling dedication and hard work, along with his natural talent, Riteish deserves a standing ovation for his performance. Hollywood Reporter claimed it as a grand historic epic with commanding performances by Riteish, while IMDB ratings show this as the strongest and most committed work of his career.
The war scenes
Sanjay Dutt plays Afzal Khan, commander of the Bijapur Sultanate and the film’s principal antagonist. His face-off with Shivaji at the Patapgarh forms the dramatic backbone of the movie; you don’t want to miss out on this 195-minute battle in Marathi cinema.
Abhishek’s Surprise
IMDB lists Abhishek Bachchan as Riteish’s elder brother, whose death scene gave Riteish rage the most convincing emotional uplift in the movie. His supporting role was praised for bringing genuine gravitas to a pivotal role.
Santhosh Sivan’s Lens
Wikipedia and Variety credit cinematographer Santhosh Sivan’s proclaimed lens that shot incredible shots across the Western Ghats and historic forts along Satara, Wai, and Mahabaleshwar, along with the Filmcity sets
Historical Authenticity
According to Wikipedia, it’s been years since Riteish has been working with books such as Shree Raja Shivchatrapati before writing a single scene. You sense this weight on the screen, not a film director making up the story. He really did his homework. Variety praises it for the detailing and guerrilla fighting sequences.
Box Office Milestone
Wikipedia confirms Raja Shivaji to be the officially most expensive Marathi movie ever made, with a budget of 75-100 crores. Variety reported it to be the biggest opening weekend, earning $4.6 million in its first three days alone. Wikipedia confirms the ₹50 crore worldwide milestone in five days.
Production scale
The list of what was assembled here on Jio Studios, Mumbai Film Company, VFX by Assemblage Entertainment is enough. None of it is lost or empty, and every rupee of it is seen on screen.IMDB lists it as one of 2026’s most anticipated Indian historical productions released this year.
Audience verdict
It is a reaction roundup, in short, grand, emotional and long overdue, says Outlook India. Hollywood Reporter calls the movie a spectacular blend of Chavva and Tanhaji. In the case of Marathi movies, this is what they’ve been waiting for.
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