Riteish Deshmukh’s Raja Shivaji First Look:The much-anticipated first look poster of Raja Shivaji has finally been unveiled, with actor-filmmaker Riteish Deshmukh stepping into the role of the legendary Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Riteish shared a poster and wrote, “When darkness longed for light, a flame rose high.. When history stood still, A young warrior chose to rewrite it.. When a land yearned for honour, A son took an oath and Swarajya was born.. (sic).”
The Shiv Jayanti celebration which marks the birth anniversary of Shivaji Maharaj saw the poster reveal its existence to the public which created strong excitement among fans and industry insiders about its massive scale and powerful capacity.
Riteish Deshmukh’s Raja Shivaji First Look
The newly released poster showcases Riteish Deshmukh in a fierce warrior avatar which shows the bravery and determination that defines Shivaji Maharaj’s heritage. The filmmakers created this movie as a visual spectacle which will showcase the life story of India’s most famous king through exceptional cinematic scale.
View this post on Instagram
The film presents itself as a pan-India historical epic which features high production values and ambitious storytelling that targets viewers who speak different languages.
Sivakarthikeyan’s Seyon Release Date: Cast, Story, Virumandi Reference and Release Timeline
Raja Shivaji Release Date Confirmed
The film will hit cinemas worldwide on May 1 2026 which happens to be Maharashtra Day celebrations. The movie will be shown in various languages which include Marathi and Hindi and it will also have dubbing services for Tamil and Telugu and Kannada and Malayalam languages.
#WATCH | Pune, Maharashtra | Actor Riteish Deshmukh says, “…I extend my best wishes to all the devotees of Lord Shiva on the occasion of Shiv Jayanti. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj continues to inspire us and give us new energy. The youth should be informed about the various… https://t.co/xlX72GeUph pic.twitter.com/VseIIEX0su
— ANI (@ANI) February 19, 2026
Star-Studded Cast and Crew
The film includes an impressive cast apart from Riteish Deshmukh who plays the main character. The cast includes:
- Sanjay Dutt
- Abhishek Bachchan
- Vidya Balan
- Mahesh Manjrekar
- Sachin Khedekar
- Bhagyashree
- Fardeen Khan
- Genelia Deshmukh
The project received increased excitement from reports which revealed that Salman Khan would make a special appearance in the film.
While talking to the media there, Riteish had said, “Today is Shiva Jayanti, and on this day, I extend my heartfelt greetings to all Shiva devotees and Shiva lovers. Today is a day of great fortune. Our Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was born on this day, and everyone knows about his fame and bravery.”
Riteish Deshmukh directed the film which was produced by Mumbai Film Company and Jio Studios. The celebrated duo Ajay-Atul created the music while Santosh Sivan, an acclaimed filmmaker, took charge of cinematography.
Riteish Deshmukh’s Raja Shivaji Storyline
The movie Raja Shivaji will show how young Shivaji Bhonsale defeated strong empires to create the Maratha kingdom which became the basis of Swarajya.
As per Variety, the film chronicles the inspirational ascent of young Shivaji Bhonsale, who founded the Maratha kingdom by defying the power of hegemonic empires. The narrative will show his early struggles while demonstrating his strategic brilliance and leadership abilities.
