'So rocking', Subhash Ghai praises Riteish Deshmukh’s ‘Raja Shivaji’, calls it ‘Full of nationalistic energies’

Filmmaker Subhash Ghai has praised Riteish Deshmukh’s ‘Raja Shivaji’, noting that the film is driven by passion and strong patriotic fervour. Sharing the poster of the upcoming historical action drama, co-written and directed by Riteish, he also called the trailer “so rocking.”

Subhash Ghai calls Riteish Deshmukh’s ‘Raja Shivaji’ trailer ‘so rocking’

“Imagine if the trailor is so rocking – what will be the film.? Just a magical experience in theatres… That’s #RAJA SHIVAJI A film made by writer, director, actor #RIETESH DESHMUKH n produced by jyoti deshpande for Jio. So passionately with full of nationalistic energies. I can see (sic)," he wrote.



The filmmaker also appreciated the support extended to Riteish by actors Sanjay Dutt and Abhishek Bachchan. “Genuinely supported by stars like Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan n the whole industry to see that it becomes an excellent film. Look forward to see this film soon. My blessings always," he wrote.

Riteish Deshmukh’s ‘Raja Shivaji’ cast and story details

‘Raja Shivaji’ tells the story of Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha Empire. Riteish Deshmukh plays the lead role, along with a large cast including Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Mahesh Manjrekar, Sachin Khedekar, Bhagyashree, Fardeen Khan, Jitendra Joshi, Amole Gupte, and Genelia Deshmukh. The film aims to show the life and legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on a big scale, making it a grand pan-India film.

Riteish Deshmukh’s ‘Raja Shivaji’ historical background

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj founded the Maratha Empire in western India, establishing an independent rule by taking on both the Deccan Sultanates and the Mughal Empire. In 1663, he launched a successful attack in Pune on Mughal general Shaista Khan, weakening Mughal control in the region. A year later, in 1664, he carried out the first sack of Surat, an important Mughal port city, disrupting their trade network. Presented by Jio Studios, ‘Raja Shivaji’ is a Mumbai Film Company production, backed by producers Jyoti Deshpande and Genelia Deshmukh, and will hit cinemas worldwide on May 1, 2026, in Marathi, Hindi, and Telugu.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”