It was a special crossover as Vicky Kaushal, who played Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj in the 2025 blockbuster Chhaava, met Riteish Deshmukh to discuss the latter’s upcoming historical epic, Raja Shivaji. Riteish Deshmukh is set to play Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the film, which he has also directed. Recently, he invited Vicky Kaushal to watch a special glimpse of the project. The meeting, described by Jio Studios as an epic meet, saw the two actors sharing insights about their respective portrayals of these historical icons.
Vicky Kaushal was visibly moved by what he saw, particularly the film’s high-octane action sequences. Offering his praise for the technical standards of the film, Vicky said, “I don’t think Marathi cinema has seen an action sequence like this.”
During their conversation, Riteish shared a powerful anecdote from the filming process. He recalled how the atmosphere on set became electric during certain takes, saying that the chants of “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Ki Jai” by the crew gave him goosebumps.
Raja Shivaji is produced by Genelia Deshmukh and Jyoti Deshpande and features a massive ensemble cast. Alongside Riteish in the lead role, the film stars Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Mahesh Manjrekar, Sachin Khedekar, Bhagyashree, Fardeen Khan, Jitendra Joshi, Amole Gupte, and Genelia Deshmukh. Interestingly, the film also marks the acting debut of Riteish and Genelia’s sons, Riaan and Rahyl, who play the younger versions of Shivaji Maharaj.
While the film’s trailer, released on April 20, received mixed reactions for casting and factual accuracy, the endorsement from Vicky Kaushal, whose own film Chhaava collected over ₹800 crore worldwide, has added some momentum ahead of the release.
Raja Shivaji will release in cinemas on May 1. As the production house mentioned in their social media post, the film aims to honour “The Founder of Hindavi Swarajya” through a performance that truly does the story justice.
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