Bombay High Court dismisses PIL against Raja Shivaji title, no stay on film release

The Bombay High Court refused to stay the release of Raja Shivaji over objections to its title. The bench said the late PIL was motivated and found nothing derogatory in the film's name.

In Short

• Bench said the petition appeared motivated and lacked a real public cause
• NGO sought to halt screenings and rename the film Chhatrapati Raja Shivaji
• Producers said the story covers Shivaji's life before his 1674 coronation

Days before its theatrical release, Raja Shivaji has cleared a legal hurdle. The Bombay High Court on Thursday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) that sought to stall the film over the omission of the honorific “Chhatrapati” from its title.

The ruling comes as relief to actor-filmmaker Riteish Deshmukh, whose Hindi-Marathi film is scheduled to release on May 1, 2026.

Court finds no public cause

A Bench comprising Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad held that the petition did not raise any genuine public interest and appeared to be motivated.

The PIL, filed by the Sree Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Foundation, was moved just two days before the film’s release.

Rejecting the plea, the court observed, “This PIL is motivated, and it is quite apparent from the records as just two days before the release of the film, this PIL has been filed. In our opinion, the title of the movie in no manner is derogatory to the status of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.”

What the petition argued

The petitioner had sought a stay on the release, screening and exhibition of Raja Shivaji, arguing that dropping the title “Chhatrapati” was disrespectful and hurt the sentiments of followers of the 17th-century Maratha ruler.

It also urged the court to direct a title change to “Chhatrapati Raja Shivaji” and asked the Central Board of Film Certification to re-examine the film’s title in line with certification guidelines.

Makers’ response in court

Appearing for the producers, advocate Shardul Singh submitted that the film depicts Shivaji Maharaj’s life before his coronation as “Chhatrapati” in 1674 CE. He informed the court that a disclaimer to this effect had been included in the film and cleared by the CBFC.

He also pointed out that the project was announced in February 2024, with its May 1, 2026 release date made public in 2025, questioning the timing of the petition.

The Bench further noted that the petitioner had relied on information sourced from Wikipedia to argue that the title was derogatory. It also underscored the delay in approaching the court, observing that the challenge did not establish a valid public cause.

Case outcome

In Sree Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Foundation vs Union of India and Others, the High Court ultimately refused to halt the film’s release, holding that the title did not undermine the status of Shivaji Maharaj.

Raja Shivaji, co-written, directed by and starring Riteish Deshmukh, is set to release in theatres as scheduled. The ensemble cast includes Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Mahesh Manjrekar, Sachin Khedekar, Bhagyashree, Fardeen Khan, Jitendra Joshi and Amole Gupte, with a cameo by Salman Khan.

- Ends