Riteish Deshmukh has gone big with Raja Shivaji, and the newly unveiled trailer makes that clear within moments. Mounted as a sweeping historical spectacle, the film introduces Deshmukh as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in a story charged with battlefield scale, political tension, and emotional weight. The trailer does more than preview a period drama, it confirms Raja Shivaji as a landmark film in Deshmukh’s career, with Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, and Vidya Balan joining the project in key roles.
The footage traces Shivaji Maharaj’s journey from a determined young fighter to a leader shaped by the vision of Swarajya. Expansive war sequences, palace intrigue, and sharp confrontations drive the trailer, while Deshmukh remains firmly at the center of the action. The visual treatment is grand, but the emotional thrust stays rooted in resistance, leadership, sacrifice, and legacy.
Raja Shivaji Unveils A Massive Ensemble
Apart from starring in Raja Shivaji, Riteish Deshmukh has also directed and produced the film. The ensemble cast includes Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Vidya Balan, Mahesh Manjrekar, Sachin Khedekar, Boman Irani, Bhagyashree, Fardeen Khan, Jitendra Joshi, Amol Gupte, and Genelia Deshmukh. The makers have also confirmed a special cameo by Salman Khan.
The film is backed by Jio Studios and Mumbai Film Company, with Jyoti Deshpande and Genelia Deshmukh attached as producers. Ajay-Atul have composed the music, while Santosh Sivan is credited as cinematographer. Raja Shivaji is scheduled to release theatrically on May 1, 2026, coinciding with Maharashtra Day. It will arrive in Marathi and Hindi, with a Telugu dubbed version also planned. Based on the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Raja Shivaji is a historical action drama.
Riteish Deshmukh’s Recent And Upcoming Work
That makes this trailer launch more than a standard promotional beat for Deshmukh. It arrives at a moment when his screen choices have already begun stretching beyond his familiar comic and commercial space into darker, more character-driven territory.
In 2024, he appeared in the ZEE5 horror comedy Kakuda alongside Sonakshi Sinha and Saqib Saleem, followed by Visfot, and also made his series debut with Pill on JioCinema, where he played a man taking on corruption in the pharmaceutical sector. In 2025, he featured in Raid 2 and was also listed among the cast of Housefull 5. He also starred in Mastiii 4.
Looking ahead, Raja Shivaji is his next confirmed theatrical release with a dated launch in 2026, while Dhamaal 4 remains another confirmed film in production. Seen together, those projects make Raja Shivaji feel like the clearest statement yet of Deshmukh’s current phase, one where star power and creative control are moving in lockstep.
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