Raja Shivaji
Raja Shivaji (King Shivaji) is a 2026 Indian historical action drama film co-written and directed by Riteish Deshmukh.[1] The film depicts the historical events surrounding Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj who established the Maratha Empire. The main character of the film is played by Riteish Deshmukh who acts with Sanjay Dutt and Abhishek Bachchan and Mahesh Manjrekar and Sachin Khedekar and Bhagyashree and Fardeen Khan and Genelia Deshmukh.
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| Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Riteish Deshmukh |
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| Produced by | Genelia Deshmukh, Jyoti Deshpande |
| Story by | Based on the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj |
| Starring | Riteish Deshmukh, Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Mahesh Manjrekar, Sachin Khedekar, Bhagyashree, Fardeen Khan, Jitendra Joshi, Amole Gupte, Genelia Deshmukh |
| Music by | Songs: Ajay-Atul; Score: John Stewart Eduri |
| Cinematography | Santosh Sivan |
| Edited by | Urvashi Saxena |
| Production company | Mumbai Film Company, Jio Studios |
| Distributed by | |
| Release date | May 1, 2026 |
| Running time | 195 minutes (Marathi version) |
| Country | India |
| Language | Marathi, Hindi |
| Budget | ₹75–100 crore |
| Box office | ₹81.13 crore+ |
The film had its premiere on 1 May 2026 which marked the celebration of Maharashtra Day. The film achieved success to become one of the most commercially successful Marathi movies in history.[2][3]
Plot
The film follows the early life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj before his coronation as Chhatrapati in 1674. It shows his struggles, battles and journey towards establishing the Maratha Empire.
Cast
- Riteish Deshmukh as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj
- Sanjay Dutt as Afzal Khan
- Abhishek Bachchan as Sambhaji Shahaji Bhosale
- Genelia Deshmukh as Saibai
- Bhagyashree as Jijabai
- Sachin Khedekar as Shahaji Bhosale
- Mahesh Manjrekar as Lakhuji Jadhav
- Fardeen Khan as Shah Jahan
- Amole Gupte as Mohammed Adil Shah
- Boman Irani as Peer Baba
- Jitendra Joshi as Pant Gopinaath Bokil
- Salman Khan as Jiva Mahala (cameo appearance)[4][5][6]
Production
The film's official announcement occurred during the month of February 2024. Riteish Deshmukh later confirmed that he would direct the film himself. Jio Studios and Mumbai Film Company produced the project together.
The filming process commenced in February 2025 and the crew worked at locations throughout Mumbai and Satara and Wai and Mahabaleshwar and the Western Ghats. The movie required the construction of extensive fort sets which needed to be built for its production.[7][8][9]
Soundtrack
The soundtrack album was composed by Ajay-Atul while the background score was composed by John Stewart Eduri.[10][11]
| No. | Title | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Raja Shivaji Anthem - Chatrapati | Ajay Gogavale | 6:04 |
| 2 | Phool Parijat | Shreya Ghoshal | 5:08 |
| 3 | Jai Shivrai | Ajay Gogavale | 4:07 |
| 4 | Bhau Sambha | Ajay Gogavale | 3:07 |
| 5 | Sata Janmachi Gaath | Ajay Gogavale | 2:33 |
| Total length: | 20:59 | ||
Release
The film had its first public screening on 1 May 2026 which showed the movie in both Marathi and Hindi languages.
Marketing
The first motion poster was released on 21 May 2025. The teaser was released on 31 March 2026 and the trailer launch event was held at Jio World Drive, Mumbai.
Reception
Critical response
The film received mixed to positive reviews from critics. The film received positive feedback for its performances and music and overall scale yet some critics found fault with its pacing and VFX and runtime.
Box office
The film opened strongly at the box office and became one of the highest-grossing Marathi films. It collected over ₹81 crore worldwide.
Box Office Collection
| Date | Day | Collection | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 May 2026 | Friday | ₹11.35 crore | Opening Day |
| First Weekend | - | ₹43.66 crore | India collection |
| First Week | - | ₹57–60 crore | Net collection |
External links
References
- ↑ Makers of Raja Shivaji unveil commanding first poster on Shivaji Jayanti . In Bollywood Hungama . Retrieved 2026-05-12
- ↑ Raja Shivaji : 100 कोटी बजेटचा 'राजा शिवाजी', हॉलिवूडला टक्कर देणारं VFX; रितेशने केली कमाल, by Swati Vemul . In TV9 Marathi (2026-05-01) . Retrieved 2026-05-01
- ↑ Riteish Deshmukh to direct and act in a film on Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj . In The Hindu (2024-02-19) . Retrieved 2026-01-05
- ↑ Raja Shivaji Anthem Song: 'राजा शिवाजी' सिनेमाच्या पहिल्या गाण्यात दिसली सिद्धार्थ जाधव, रेमो डिसूझाची झलक, अजय अतुलची चालली जादू . In Maharashtra Times . Retrieved 12 May 2026
- ↑ अतुल गोगावले यांच्या लेकाचं अभिनय क्षेत्रात पदार्पण; 'राजा शिवाजी' सिनेमाच्या गाण्यात दिसली झलक . In Lokmat (2026-04-18) . Retrieved 12 May 2026
- ↑ Raja Shivaji : 'राजा शिवाजी' चित्रपटात रितेश-जिनिलियासह देशमुख कुटुंबातील अजून 3 सदस्य झळकणार, पाचव्या नावाची तुम्ही कल्पनाही केली नसेल . In Zee 24 Taas (2026-05-01) . Retrieved 12 May 2026
- ↑ Riteish Deshmukh wraps shoot for epic historical drama Raja Shivaji; says, "For over 100 days, our team poured its heart, soul, and unwavering dedication into this dream" 100 . In Bollywood Hungama (2025-12-16) . Retrieved 12 May 2026
- ↑ रितेश देशमुखच्या 'राजा शिवाजी'मध्ये सलमान खानची एन्ट्री, 'या' भूमिकेत दिसणार भाईजान . In Lokmat . Retrieved 12 May 2026
- ↑ रितेशच्या 'राजा शिवाजी' चित्रपटात संजय दत्त अफजलखानाच्या भूमिकेत, सेटवरील VIDEO लीक . In News18 Marathi . Retrieved 12 May 2026
- ↑ Raja Shivaji trailer to release on April 20 with a grand launch to be held in Mumbai . In Moneycontrol . Retrieved 12 May 2026
- ↑ Raja Shivaji Full Album Out Now: Ajay-Atul Drop Soulful Melody Phool Parijaat . In News18 . Retrieved 12 May 2026