Raja Shivaji () is an upcoming Indian historical action drama film co-written and directed by Riteish Deshmukh, based on the life of Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha Empire. The film is produced by Genelia Deshmukh and Jyoti Deshpande. It features an ensemble cast led by Riteish Deshmukh in the title role, alongside Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Mahesh Manjrekar, Sachin Khedekar, Bhagyashree, Fardeen Khan, Jitendra Joshi, Amole Gupte, and Genelia Deshmukh.
The film was officially announced on 19 February 2024. Principal photography began the same month, with filming taking place in Mumbai, Satara, Wai, Mahabaleshwar, and across the Western Ghats. Produced simultaneously in Marathi and Hindi, it is scheduled for a theatrical release on 1 May 2026.
Reports of a film based on Shivaji Maharaj, to be produced by Riteish Deshmukh, first emerged in 2015. On 20 August 2015, Genelia Deshmukh confirmed the project through Twitter, stating that the film was not merely a cinematic venture but a responsibility. Later that year, in December 2015, Riteish Deshmukh officially announced that Mumbai Film CompanyâÂÂs "Chhatrapati Shivaji" would be directed by Ravi Jadhav. According to Jadhav, the project originated from an idea he conceived between 2014âÂÂ2015, envisioning Deshmukh as Shivaji Maharaj. The two subsequently began developing the film, with Deshmukh backing the project as both actor and producer under Mumbai Film Company. Over the next few years, multiple writersâÂÂincluding Tejas Palve, Vishwas Patil and Kshitij PatwardhanâÂÂworked on successive drafts of the screenplay, and a look test and preliminary poster design were also completed during this phase. However, the project did not move forward as initially planned. Jadhav later stated that personal circumstances and delays led to his withdrawal from the film, clarifying that there was no disagreement between him and Deshmukh.
In September 2016, reports suggested that Salman Khan had agreed to be part of the Marathi biopic, starring Riteish Deshmukh in the titular role. In May 2017, Deshmukh stated that the screenplay had been completed and that the film could become one of the most expensive projects in Marathi cinema, with a budget reportedly exceeding â¹200 crore. By November 2017, Deshmukh confirmed his active involvement in the scripting process and stated that he had been extensively reading historical texts such as Vedh Mahamanawacha, Shree Raja Shivchatrapati, and Shivcharitra. He also indicated that the film might be produced as a HindiâÂÂMarathi bilingual and would move into pre-production after revisions to the first draft of the screenplay, with filming planned the following year. He described the Shivaji Maharaj's biopic as "labour of love and a lifelong dream" and one of his most ambitious productions, following earlier projects such as Balak-Palak (2013), Yellow (2014), Lai Bhaari (2014), and Faster Fene (2017), noting that working within the constraints of regional cinema encouraged a strong focus on content.
On 19 February 2020, coinciding with the 390th Shiv Jayanti, a trilogy based on life of Shivaji Maharaj announced, with Nagraj Manjule set to direct. Riteish stated that he had wanted to work with Manjule, having been impressed by the filmmakerâÂÂs debut film Fandry, and noted that Manjule himself was keen on making a film on Shivaji Maharaj. The first film in the trilogy was planned as a pan-Indian release in 2021, with music composed by Ajay-Atul. The makers planned the trilogy as three films tracing different phases of Shivaji's life- Shivaji, centred on his early years; Raja Shivaji, focusing on the establishment of the Maratha Empire; and Chhatrapati Shivaji, covering the period of his wider political and military influence across India.
In March 2022, Manjule stated that the COVID-19 pandemic had disrupted the project's schedule, delaying production by nearly two years, though he clarified that the film had not been shelved. Subsequently, Manjule exited the project following Jio Studiosâ announcement of its production slate, which included Khashaba, to be directed by Manjule himself.
On 19 February 2024, Riteish Deshmukh officially confirmed that he would direct the film himself and unveiled the first poster, announcing the title as Raja Shivaji. Santosh Sivan was signed on as the film's cinematographer, marking his debut in Marathi cinema.
Riteish Deshmukh was confirmed to portray Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the titular role. In February 2025, ETimes reported that Abhishek Bachchan, Fardeen Khan and Sanjay Dutt had accepted offers to join the film, with Bachchan and Khan cast as Mughal rulers. In April 2025, Bhagyashree was reported to have been cast as Shivaji Maharaj's mother, a development that was later officially confirmed by the makers through a poster unveiling the principal cast. The same announcement confirmed Mahesh Manjrekar, Sachin Khedekar, Jitendra Joshi, Amole Gupte, and Genelia Deshmukh in key roles. Sanjay Dutt was subsequently reported to be portraying the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
It was also reported that Marathi television actor Kapil Honrao had joined the film; he later confirmed his participation through an Instagram story, revealing that he had been cast by Rohan Mapuskar. In June 2025, reports stated that Vidya Balan had also joined the cast in an undisclosed role. A month later, she confirmed during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that she had completed her shooting portions. Supreme Court lawyer Siddharth Shinde was reported to have played a brief role in the film, which was later revealed by Riteish Deshmukh following his death in September 2025 through a social media post sharing photographs from the sets.
In early November 2025, media reports suggested that Salman Khan would make a cameo appearance as Jeeva Mahala, a loyal warrior of Shivaji. Khan had earlier appeared in Marathi films such as Lai Bhaari (2014) and Ved (2022). Jeeva Mahala is historically known for protecting Shivaji Maharaj during the attack by Sayyad Banda, a lieutenant of Afzal Khan. Reportedly, Khan's cameo includes a few intense close-up scenes, with the film's action designed by Parvez Shaikh. According to Pinkvilla, Khan allotted two days for the cameo shoot between 8 and 14 November 2025, amidst his commitments to other projects, and completed filming by 12 November.
Principal photography for the film began in February 2025. Filming initially covered Shivaji Maharaj's early years, with a Shivneri Fort set specially constructed at Film City in Mumbai. The second schedule commenced in early April 2025 and covered several key phases of Shivaji Maharaj's life. Scenes filmed during this leg included his meeting with his wife, Rani Saibai, his coronation ceremony at Raigad Fort, and a major battle sequence. The schedule continued until mid-April. During production in April 2025, a 26-year-old dancer, Saurabh Sharma, who was part of the film's choreography team, drowned in the Krishna River at Sangam Mahuli in Satara district after completing the shoot for a song sequence. His body was recovered two days later, and the incident occurred while filming was underway in the region.
The Mumbai schedule began in October 2025, at Film City, Goregaon, where a massive sets that represented parts of a fort was built for the shoot. These sets remained in place for over six months. Several key forts were scanned, closely studied, and recreated with meticulous attention to detail. By late October filming had taken place across the Sahyadri mountain ranges. Filming moved into its final phase in November 2025. Khan completed filming his cameo portions during this period at a suburban studio in Mumbai. Dutt's portions, in which he portrays the film's primary antagonist, were postponed and subsequently filmed in December 2025, marking the completion of his schedule. Filming concluded on 16 December 2025. The film was shot over a period of approximately 100 days across locations including Mahabaleshwar, Wai, Satara, and Mumbai.
On 21 May 2025, Riteish Deshmukh released film's first motion poster along with the film's release date. Later, on 19 February 2026, he reavealed the first-look poster featuring him as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The film's teaser was showcased during screenings of ' and later released on social media on 31 March 2026.
Raja Shivaji is scheduled for a theatrical release on 1 May 2026, coinciding with Maharashtra Day, in Marathi and Hindi, with a dubbed version in Telugu.