- Raja Shivaji released on May 1, 2026, in Hindi and Marathi with strong box office response
- The film earned Rs 11.35 crore on opening day, with Rs 8 crore from Marathi and Rs 3.35 crore from Hindi
- Riteish Deshmukh directed and starred in the film, which features his son Rahyl's acting debut
Historical drama Raja Shivaji, directed by and starring Riteish Deshmukh, released in theatres on May 1, 2026. The film opened to a thunderous response at the box office in Hindi and Marathi.
Ram Gopal Varma took to X to congratulate Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia Deshmukh, who also stars in the film and is one of the producers.
He wrote, "Hey @geneliad, CONGRATS on the way your #RajaShivaji is both SLASHING and SMASHING the BOXOFFICE. @Riteishd both as DIRECTOR and ACTOR is creating MAYHEM in the THEATRES and he literally looks #ShivajiMaharaj REINCARNATED."
Hey @geneliad CONGRATS on the way your #RajaShivaji is both SLASHING and SMASHING the BOXOFFICE .. @Riteishd both as DIRECTOR and ACTOR is creating MAYHEM in the THEATRES and he literally looks #ShivajiMaharaj REINCARNATED 🙏💪🔥
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) May 1, 2026
Raja Shivaji Day 1 Box Office Collection
The film, mounted on a large scale and released in both Hindi and Marathi, recorded solid numbers on its first day.
As per trade tracker Sacnilk, the film has earned Rs 11.35 crore in India on its opening day, in Hindi and Marathi. The film made Rs 8 crore in Marathi, and Rs 3.35 crore in Hindi.
The film had around 6000 shows on its release day. The film had around 6000 shows on its release day.
The 1900 Marathi shows saw an occupancy of 68 per cent, and the 4200 Hindi shows saw an occupancy of around 16 per cent.
The Marathi version led the performance, contributing a major share of the collections.
In Mumbai, which had the highest number of Marathi shows at around 600, the occupancy stood at approximately 73 per cent. In comparison, the Hindi version saw relatively lower turnout, with Delhi-NCR registering around 400 shows and an occupancy of about 13 per cent
About Raja Shivaji
Raja Shivaji boasts an impressive cast, including Abhishek Bachchan, Vidya Balan, Sanjay Dutt, and Boman Irani.
The film also marks Riteish's 10-year-old son Rahyl's acting debut.
At the trailer launch, Riteish spoke about the long, difficult journey behind the film. "It's been 10 years... I first wanted to play Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 2016, but it didn't happen. Then I tried again, and COVID happened," he said, fighting back tears. "It felt like Shivaji Maharaj was telling me, 'Wait, my child... it's not the right time.'"
Jyoti Deshpande and Genelia Deshmukh produced Raja Shivaji for Mumbai Film Company, presented by Jio Studios.
ALSO READ | Raja Shivaji Review: This Riteish Deshmukh Film Isn't Always As Sharp As Its Tiger Claw But Has Moments
