Riteish Deshmukh’s comments come in the wake of the backlash that was triggered by the comments made by Bageshwar Baba on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Riteish Deshmukh will be seen in and as Raja Shivaji.
What did Riteish say
Taking to his X account, Riteish wrote in Marathi, “When someone comes along and spews some distorted nonsense about our cherished deity, as a Shiv-premi and Shiv-bhakt, this is unacceptable and infuriating. Such futile attempts to belittle the legacy will not be tolerated at all. But just as the mountain ranges of the Sahyadri have existed for millions of years before, so too will that one name endure for crores of years in the future. And that name is of the Kshatriya lineage, the Lord of the Throne, the Emperor of Emperors, Chhatrapati Maharaj.”
About Raja Shivaji
Backed by Jyoti Deshpande and Genelia Deshmukh under Mumbai Film Company and presented by Jio Studios, Raja Shivaji is a grand historical epic based on the life and legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. A few days ago, at the trailer launch, both Riteish and Genelia broke down while talking about the movie. Riteish later thanked Genelia for standing by him and supporting him throughout the journey of making the film.
The film tells the story of Shivaji Maharaj’s early journey, focusing on his oath to build Swarajya and his stand against the powerful rulers of the time. Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Vidya Balan, Bhagyashree, Mahesh Manjerakar, and Boman Irani are also part of the cast.
Santanu Das is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 5 years of experience, writing on films, pop culture and film festivals. He has a keen interest in writing about South Asian independent films and has covered several film festivals, including Sundance and CPH: Docx. He also brings a sharp perspective to the monthly column called The Fault in Our Stars, where he writes about a recent film/series and what stops the ‘good’ from becoming ‘great’. A gold medalist from Banaras Hindu University, Santanu completed his postgraduate studies in English from Jadavpur University. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes-certified film critic. When not watching films or speaking to celebrities, Santanu can be found reading a book. Some of his favourite films are Aparajito, Ponyo and The Double Life of Veronique. His favourite books include The Corrections, The God of Small Things and A Room of One’s Own. Santanu continues to write passionately about films and celebrity culture. He brings a relatable, as well as critically informed, lens to entertainment and culture for a wide audience. Find him on LinkedIn: santanudasfilm Instagram: @santupechaRead More
