1 week Ago By Mid-day
Historical dramas seem to have caught the attention of many filmmakers. Months after Laxman Utekar’s Chhaava gave Bollywood the year’s first blockbuster, Riteish Deshmukh is giving shape to Raja Shivaji, a biopic on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The actor, who will direct and star in the ambitious period drama, took it on floors in February.
Now, Deshmukh has called action on the second schedule that is being conducted at Film City in Goregaon, Mumbai. Sandeep Singh is also making a movie, titled The Pride of Bharat: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, on the legendary Maratha king. Rishab Shetty plays the titular role.
Raja Shivaji, which will be released in Marathi and Hindi, marks his second directorial venture after Ved (2022). While Mahesh Manjrekar plays a key role in the period drama, Bhagyashree steps into the role of Shivaji’s mother, Rajmata Jijabai. Sources tell us that the ongoing schedule will cover many crucial chapters of the Maratha warrior king’s reign.
“The film will chronicle his life, from his young warrior days to him becoming the founder of the Maratha Empire. Riteish began the second leg by shooting the scene where Shivaji meets his wife, Rani Saibai. Going ahead, the team will shoot Shivaji’s coronation ceremony that had taken place in Raigad Fort.
A massive set depicting portions of the fort has been constructed in Film City. Additionally, a major battle sequence has been lined up for this stint that will go on till mid-April,” reveals a source. Bhagyashree and Mahesh ManjrekarIn February 2024, on the occasion of Shivaji Jayanti, Deshmukh had announced the magnum opus.
He had apparently long harboured the ambition of bringing the biggest Maratha king’s story to the screen. “Riteish was working on the project over the past five years. But he couldn’t shoot it during the pandemic because logistically, it’s a demanding film.
So, he helmed Ved instead at that point,” says another source. Deshmukh’s passion project finally rolled this February. “The team started with the early years of Shivaji.
A set of Shivneri Fort was constructed at Film City for that leg.” National Award winner Santosh Sivan is serving as the cinematographer. Deshmukh is said to have approached his actor-friends Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan and Fardeen Khan for key roles.
2022The year Riteish Deshmukh made his directorial debut with the Marathi film, Ved.
