Riteish Deshmukh has stepped into a volatile public debate with a response that left little room for ambiguity. Reacting to Bageshwar Baba’s remarks on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the actor called the comments “unacceptable and infuriating,” striking an emotional chord online and drawing fresh attention to the cultural weight of the conversation.
The controversy began after Bageshwar Baba said in a speech that Shivaji Maharaj had grown tired of battle and had once placed his crown before Ramdas Swami, asking him to take charge of the kingdom while he rested. The statement quickly triggered criticism from those who saw it as a distortion of the Maratha ruler’s life, leadership, and legacy.
Riteish shared on social media, “When someone comes along and spews some distorted nonsense about our cherished deity, as a Shiv-premi-Shiv-bhakt, this is unacceptable and infuriating.
Such futile attempts to trap it within frames will be swallowed up in the belly of time. But just as the mountain ranges of the Sahyadri have existed for millions of years before, so too will ‘that’ one name endure for crores of years in the future. And that name is.. Pratap Purandar… of the Kshatriya lineage… Lord of the Throne… Emperor of Emperors… the Wealthy Rajashiv Chhatrapati Maharaj.”
A Forceful Public Stand
What made Riteish’s reaction stand out was not only its anger, but its deeply personal tone. He invoked Shivaji Maharaj with reverence, likening the permanence of his legacy to the endurance of the Sahyadri ranges, and framed the issue as one that goes beyond momentary outrage. The post read like a defence of memory, identity, and history, not a routine celebrity intervention in a trending controversy.
The controversy began after Bageshwar Baba claimed in a speech that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had grown tired of fighting wars and once placed his crown before Ramdas Swami, asking him to take charge of the kingdom while he rested. The remarks were widely criticised by many who felt they misrepresented history and undermined Shivaji Maharaj’s legacy.
That emotional clarity has given the response particular resonance, especially because Riteish is not approaching the subject from a distance. He is currently headlining Raja Shivaji, the historical drama in which he portrays Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, while also directing the film. The project, backed by Jio Studios and Mumbai Film Company, is one of the most significant creative undertakings of his career.
Why The Statement Lands Differently Before Raja Shivaji
That is precisely why Riteish’s outrage carries added weight right now. For an actor-filmmaker immersed in bringing Shivaji Maharaj’s story to the screen, the debate is not separate from his work, but directly tied to the responsibility of representing a towering historical figure with dignity. His response, then, feels less like a promotional moment and more like an extension of that commitment.
Raja Shivaji is set to release in theatres on May 1, 2026, and centres on the early life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the dream of Swarajya. The film stars Riteish in the title role and features a large ensemble, but the spotlight remains firmly on the scale of its ambition and the sensitivity of its subject. In recent years, Riteish has balanced mainstream Hindi films, Marathi cinema, and streaming projects, with Ved becoming a notable turning point as his directorial debut. Since then, he has continued to move across genres with titles such as Kakuda, Visfot, Raid 2, Mastiii 4 and Housefull 5. Raja Shivaji marks a defining phase in that trajectory, with Dhamaal 4 also among his confirmed upcoming projects.
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