Riteish Deshmukh became the centre of attention after an emotional moment at the Raja Shivaji trailer launch. The actor-director broke down while talking about his 10-year journey, but the reaction online was mixed.
The grand event in Mumbai saw many big names. However, it was Riteish’s heartfelt speech that grabbed headlines. While many felt touched, some netizens trolled him and his wife Genelia Deshmukh.
Riteish Deshmukh Gets Emotional At Raja Shivaji Trailer Launch
Riteish Deshmukh spoke openly about the struggles he faced while making Raja Shivaji. He thanked his team and gave special mention to Abhishek Bachchan for his support. He said, “I am very thankful to Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan and the entire team of Raja Shivaji who decided to become a part of this movie. Abhishek stood with me like a brother.”
Soon after, Riteish shared a deeply personal speech in Marathi, talking about his bond with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his journey with the film. He said in Marathi, “I am बेहद grateful to all my friends from the media who took time out to come here and honour us. I will never forget this. I was born, I saw my parents, I saw God, and I saw Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Since then, there has never really been a need to explain who Maharaj is to us. We breathe in this Marathi soil, and with every breath, we carry Shivaji Maharaj within us. As children, we built forts, raised saffron flags, and set up toy cannons. Every time, we felt like we were Mavlas of Maharaj. We never felt that we were Maharaj ourselves — and we never will.”
He added, “When I was in the fifth standard, there was a school annual day. I was playing the role of a Mavla, dancing with a spear in my hand. One of my friends was playing Maharaj. I saluted him with respect and pride while dancing. That same Mavla who stood on that stage back then is standing here today, still trying to offer a respectful salute to Maharaj.”
He continued, “Whenever we create anything based on Maharaj, the only emotions we can truly have are respect, faith, devotion, and love. I feel that when even a small child takes on the form of Shivaji Maharaj—whether on stage, in school, in a society event, during Diwali, on Shiv Jayanti, in a serial, or in a play—it is truly a blessing for that person to get the opportunity to portray that form. And I feel fortunate that I received this blessing as a Mavla.”
Riteish concluded by saying, “It has been 10 years. I had been trying since 2016 to make this film, but it didn’t happen. I tried again in 2019, but then COVID came and it didn’t happen. Somewhere, I felt that my revered deity, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was telling me – Wait, son, your time has not come yet. Even in 2019, it felt the same. But when I started again in 2023, I felt that Maharaj was finally saying – Son, now your time has come.”
Despite the emotional speech, Riteish Deshmukh faced trolling on social media. Several users questioned his reaction and called it dramatic. One user wrote, “Ghatiya Acting.” Another said, “Nautanki kar rahe.”
A third commented, “Movies nahi chal rahi toh yeh sab karo.”
About The Film
Raja Shivaji is a grand historical film based on the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. It focuses on his vision of Swarajya and his legacy.
Genelia Deshmukh, who plays Saibai Rani Saheb, also became emotional during the event. She attended in a traditional Nauvari saree, reflecting the film’s cultural roots. Sanjay Dutt was also seen moved by the moment.
Meanwhile, Mahesh Manjrekar praised the trailer and Riteish’s direction. Actor Bhagyashree, who plays Jijao, spoke about her powerful role in shaping Shivaji Maharaj’s journey.
Backed by Jyoti Deshpande and Genelia under Mumbai Film Company and presented by Jio Studios, Raja Shivaji will release worldwide on May 1 in Marathi and Hindi.
