Raja Shivaji trailer: Riteish Deshmukh fights for Maratha pride in period drama

Riteish Deshmukh stars in the title role of the upcoming period drama, Raja Shivaji. The trailer of the Marathi film, co-written and directed by the actor, was released on Monday.

In Short

• Raja Shivaji trailer unveiled on April 20, 2026
• The film is set for a theatrical release on Maharashtra Day on May 1
• Riteish Deshmukh has portrayed the titular role in the period drama

The trailer for actor-director and co-writer Riteish Deshmukh's Marathi period drama, Raja Shivaji, was released on April 20, 2026. The film depicts the life and enduring legacy of Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, played by Deshmukh.

Deshmukh shared the trailer on social media, highlighting an action-packed narrative. The actor's son, Rahyl, features as the young Shivaji, and the promo includes appearances by Abhishek Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Vidya Balan, and Genelia Deshmukh, who portrays Saibai, Shivaji's wife.

The trailer depicts Shivaji's fight against invaders trying to sabotage the Maratha empire. Visuals of hand-to-hand combat sequences, cannons, elephants and troops show the clash between Marathas, Mughals and Adil Shah of the Bijapur Sultanate. Deshmukh's Shivaji pledges to defend the Maratha pride against enemies, be it Adil Shah or the Mughals.

Raja Shivaji traces the life of the Maratha warrior king, with Abhishek Bachchan as Shivaji's elder brother, Sambhaji Shahaji Bhonsale. Scheduled for a Maharashtra Day 2026 release on May 1, the film will compete with The Devil Wears Prada 2 in both Indian and international markets.

In a recent promotional appearance on the grand finale of Bigg Boss Marathi Season 6, Deshmukh, along with wife Genelia Deshmukh and Abhishek Bachchan, confirmed Salman Khan's cameo in the film, though details of his role remain undisclosed. Riteish hinted that Khan plays a significant part.

Raja Shivaji features an ensemble cast, including Sanjay Dutt as Afzal Khan, Sachin Khedekar as Shahaji Raje Bhosale, Bhagyashree as Jijabai, Vidya Balan as Badi Begum, Fardeen Khan as Shah Jahan, Jitendra Joshi as Pant, and Amol Gupte as Adilshah.

The upcoming period drama is backed by Jio Studios and Mumbai Film Company. It is co-produced by Jyoti Deshpande and Genelia Deshmukh.

Raja Shivaji is set for a worldwide theatrical release on May 1, 2026. It will be released in Marathi, Hindi and Telugu.

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