Punha Shivajiraje Bhosale () is a 2025 Indian Marathi-language socio-political drama film directed by Mahesh Manjrekar. The film follows a young girlâÂÂs fight for justice after her farmer fatherâÂÂs suicide, which awakens the spirit of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Returning to modern Maharashtra, he confronts corruption and inspires peopleâÂÂespecially farmers and youthâÂÂto rise up and restore the ideals of Swarajya.
The film was theatrically released on 31 October 2025 and received a positive response from critics, but it underperformed at the box office and emerged as a box-office bomb. Made on a budget of â¹13 crore, it became the second most expensive Marathi film of all time.
The film was theatrically released on 31 October 2025.
Anub George of The Times of India gave 3 out of 5 stars and noted that the first half is emotional, whereas the second half features power-packed action and impactful dialogues. However, he felt the narrative becomes unfocused in the latter half due to the introduction of multiple antagonists, which detracts from the central issue and a solution-oriented resolution. Aunupama Gunde Pudhari gave the film 3 out of 5 stars and noted that, despite a slight excess in director Mahesh ManjrekarâÂÂs creative liberties, the film effectively portrays the emotional reality of farmers. Santosh Bhingarde of Sakal awarded the film 4 out of 5 stars stars, praising Hitesh ModakâÂÂs music and background score, Abhimanyu DangeâÂÂs cinematography, and Mahesh ManjrekarâÂÂs direction for maintaining a brisk narrative pace. Despite a few flaws, he described it as an engaging film that evokes Marathi pride while addressing the struggles of farmers.
Devendra Jadhav of Lokmat gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, stating that while the action scenes are thrilling, their length weakens the filmâÂÂs core theme. He also noted pacing issues and some technical flaws, adding that Hitesh ModakâÂÂs music supports the scenes but the songs are not very memorable. Kalpeshraj Kubal of Maharashtra Times gave the film 4 out of 5 stars, praising Siddharth BodkeâÂÂs portrayal of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the performances of Trisha Thosar, Mangesh Desai, Vikram Gaikwad, and Siddharth Jadhav. He also highlighted the filmâÂÂs strong symbolism and sharp commentary on Maharashtra's socio-political situation and farmersâ struggles. Reshma Raikwar of Loksatta praised the filmâÂÂs action sequences, brisk narrative, cinematography by Abhimanyu Dange, and sharp dialogues. She noted that the film reflects Mahesh ManjrekarâÂÂs strong command over production and technical aspects, making it a grand film in his style.
Everest Entertainment LLP accused the makers of copying their 2009 blockbuster Mi Shivajiraje Bhosale Boltoy!. Everest claimed it owned the full intellectual property rights of the 2009 film after a 2013 agreement with director Mahesh Manjrekar, which allegedly transferred the rights to create prequels, sequels, or other derivative works to Everest. The company also issued a public legal notice in June 2025, asserting that it held the sole ownership of the filmâÂÂs intellectual property, including the script, music, negatives, and other underlying works, with rights valid worldwide for 60 years. The notice warned that no individual or company, including Manjrekar or other producers, had the authority to enter into agreements related to the filmâÂÂs rights without EverestâÂÂs permission.
Based on these claims, Everest approached the Bombay High Court seeking to stop the release of the new film. However, the Bombay High Court refused to halt the filmâÂÂs release on 31 October 2025. Justice Amit S. Jamsandekar ruled that Everest had delayed filing the case, even though it had known about the project since April 2025, and had approached the court only at the last moment before the filmâÂÂs release. The court observed that such last-minute attempts to restrain a filmâÂÂs release should be discouraged.
After reviewing the material presented by both sides, the court also held that there was no substantial reproduction of the earlier film. It noted that the two films differed in theme and concept, with the 2009 film focusing on the identity crisis of a common Maharashtrian man in Mumbai, while the new film dealt with issues such as farmersâ struggles and corruption. The court further stated that commonly used Marathi phrases and references to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj could not be monopolised under copyright, as they form part of the regionâÂÂs shared cultural heritage. Consequently, the court declined to restrain the release of the film.