Raja Shivaji Review: A sincere ode to the one of India’s greatest freedom fighter and founder of Hindavi Swarajya
Raja Shivaji Movie Rating: 3.5 Stars
Watched Raja Shivaji movie in Hindi in Cinema. Let’s focus on the complete details, story, positive/negatives and at last my view on this movie.
Cast: Riteish Deshmukh, Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Mahesh Manjrekar, Sachin Khedekar, Bhagyashree, Fardeen Khan, Jitendra Joshi, Amole Gupte, and Genelia Deshmukh
Director: Riteish Deshmukh
Release Date: 1st May 2026 in cinemas
Story: It begins in the 16th century, even before the birth of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The Maratha kingdom under Shahaji (Sachin Khedekar) is caught between the Adilshahi, Nizamshahi, and the Mughal Empire. The family is constantly forced to shift their based on the orders of these ruling powers especially under Adil Shah (Amole Gupte) and his wife Khadija (Vidya Balan) depending on whose side they are supporting.
With years of struggle, Shahaji, along with his wife Jijabai (Bhagyashree) and their two sons, Sambhaji and Shivaji, is forced to leave their home in Pune and move from place to place. Living under the control of these dynasties shapes and fills the two brothers with anger. Sambhaji and Shivaji grow up with a strong attitude and gradually learn how to stand up against the forces against them.
For Shivaji (Riteish Deshmukh) and Sambhaji (Abhishek Bachchan), the biggest challenge is Afzal Khan (Sanjay Dutt), the general of the Adilshahi dynasty. He is ruthless, someone who does not think twice before even killing a child.
With his vision of Swaraj and to take revenge for his brother’s death and save his dynasty, Shivaji fights against Afzal Khan, around whom, the whole story revolves.
Positives
1. Performances
2. Cinematography
3. Story
4. Background Music
5. Direction
6. Climax
Negatives
1. Length
2. Uneven Screenplay
3. Dialogues
4. First Half
Durgesh Tiwary’s View: When I watched the trailer of this film planned to watch this movie on its release date as liked the trailer and also loved to watch historical film of our warriors. Based on the life of the warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the film traces his journey from birth to laying the foundation of Swarajya.
Raja Shivaji story is detailed and touches upon the key incidents of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s life. The storytelling feels rooted, and that sincerity reflects in every frame. It tells the story of Shivaji in a glorified light, focusing on one of the most defining episodes of his life. The film’s presentation is larger than life, with all attention centered on Shivaji’s character. Divided into chapters, much like Dhurandhar was, the first part feels stretched, with over-the-top moments, dialogues and fight sequences that take too long to establish the characters. The second part begins with the momentum as the focus shifts entirely to Shivaji and his fight with Afzal Khan. This is where the film finally comes into focus, even for viewers who doesn’t know much about the history. Given the emotional weight that Shivaji and films about this legendary figure carry, Riteish has clearly hit that mark. While the movie was shot in both Hindi and Marathi, it holds a special emotional core for the followers of Shivaji. The background score works well and complements the film’s tone effectively, enhancing the overall viewing experience. The production design and costumes successfully transport you to the early 1600s, making the world believable and immersive.
Ritesh Deshmukh looks the character and acts very well in the title role. He brings restraint, intelligence, softness, and calculated strength to the role. His portrayal understands that true power often lies in silence and strategy rather than loud heroism. Genelia Deshmukh lends dignity to the character of Saibai, wife of Shivaji Maharaj. She acts with aplomb in a brief role. Abhishek Bachchan as Sambhaji Raje Bhosale is a beautiful surprise. His bond with Riteish carries warmth and emotional depth, making their sibling dynamic one of the film’s strongest emotional anchors. His character arc feels wholesome, and once again, Abhishek proves that he can disappear into any role with ease. Sachin Khedekar makes his mark as Shahaji Raje Bhosale. Bhagyashree makes a fine impact as Rajmata Jijau Bhosale. Mahesh Manjrekar creates an impact in a tiny role as Lakhuji Raje. Sanjay Dutt does extremely well as Commander Afzal Khan. Amol Gupte is effective as Adilshah. Vidya Balan makes her presence amply felt as Badi Begum. Her dialogue delivery deserves distinction marks. Boman Irani is good in a small role as Peer Baba. Fardeen Khan looks like a king and acts with sincerity. Salman Khan adds tremendous star value in a brief friendly appearance as Jiva Mahala. Jitendra Joshi lends fantastic support as Pant. Ashok Samarth shines as Chandarrao. Others provide lovely support. What stands out is that while the film is centered on Shivaji Maharaj’s bravery and valour, it does not reduce others to mere supporting shadows. Characters like Shahaji Raje, Sambhaji Raje, Jijabai, Saibai, and Kanhoji Jedhe are given space to breathe, making the world richer and emotionally fuller.
However, the film is not without its flaws. The film’s major issue is its runtime. At 195 minutes, it could have easily been shorter by at least 15 minutes. The interest dips in the middle portions of both halves. It engages in parts but falls short due to the over-dramatization of the characters, especially the villains, which feel more cartoonish than real. I think this has become a trend in Bollywood. The first half is heavy on emotion and several dramatic high points. While the film holds interest in the second part. While the film is technically strong, that’s also where it loses some of its realism. A period drama should connect emotionally through both story and presentation, but the heavy use of CGI and music may make the movie feel good and gripping, but it’s also where it loses its soul. Sadly, though this is a patriotic film, where dialogues play a crucial role, the writing here feels underwhelming and lacks the desired impact. The visual effects could have been sharper. Given today’s exposure to global cinematic standards, some VFX portions feel average and occasionally pull you out of the experience.
Overall movie pays a fine ode to one of India’s greatest kings and works due to its execution, abundance of drama, emotion, mass-appealing moments and a climax. Certain films are not meant to be judged purely as cinema. They are meant to be felt. Raja Shivaji is one of them. Watching this film brought back the smell of old history textbooks, the colorful illustrations of kings, and that quiet pride that filled the chest as children. They fought selflessly for generations they would never meet, for us. My view on this film Recommended If you have even a drop of love for good historical storytelling, book your tickets without a doubt! Take your kids along; they need to see history unfold with such great vision!
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