The shooting of Raja Shivaji, described as Marathi cinema’s biggest and most ambitious film to date, has officially wrapped. The historical multilingual action drama is directed by Riteish Deshmukh and produced by Jyoti Deshpande and Genelia Deshmukh under the banners of Jio Studios and Mumbai Film Company. The film is scheduled for a worldwide release on 1 May 2026.
Marking the completion of filming, Riteish Deshmukh shared an image from the sets on social media, accompanied by the caption: “The sun paused for a moment… Shadows stretched long… But only for a moment… For the radiant dawn rising tomorrow…”
Shot over the course of the past year, Raja Shivaji was filmed across several historic and scenic locations, including Wai, Mahabaleshwar, Satara and Mumbai. Monumental sets, constructed to reflect the scale and grandeur of 16th century Maharashtra, remained standing for more than six months. Historic forts were extensively scanned, researched and meticulously recreated to ensure visual authenticity and an immersive cinematic experience rooted in the era of the Maratha Empire.
The film brings to life the extraordinary journey of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, one of India’s most revered kings. Set against a backdrop of clashing empires and rising rebellions, the story traces the rise of a young Shivaji who defied formidable powers, became Raja Shivaji and laid the foundation for Swarajya. The makers have promised a visually rich and emotionally compelling narrative crafted on an epic scale.
Raja Shivaji also aims to set new technical benchmarks for Marathi cinema, featuring large-scale, VFX-driven visuals and action sequences described as never seen before in the regional industry. With filming complete, the project now moves into post-production.
The film boasts an acclaimed creative team, led by music composers Ajay–Atul and celebrated cinematographer Santosh Sivan, who makes his Marathi cinema debut with this project. The ensemble cast brings together prominent names from Marathi and Hindi cinema, including Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Mahesh Manjrekar, Sachin Khedekar, Bhagyashree, Fardeen Khan, Jitendra Joshi, Amol Gupte, Genelia Deshmukh and Riteish Vilasrao Deshmukh, along with additional cast members yet to be revealed.
Following Jio Studios’ Dhurandhar, Raja Shivaji is positioned as another industry-defining spectacle. Presented by Jio Studios and produced by Jyoti Deshpande and Genelia Deshmukh under the Mumbai Film Company banner, the film is set for a global multilingual release on 1 May 2026.
