- Riteish Deshmukh directed and starred in the film Raja Shivaji, releasing May 1
- Riteish and Genelia Deshmukh's younger son Rahyl debuts as young Shivaji Maharaj
- Genelia Deshmukh plays Saibai, Shivaji Maharaj's wife in the historical film
The trailer of Raja Shivaji, headlined by Riteish and Genelia Deshmukh, was unveiled at a star-studded event yesterday in Mumbai. Riteish and Genelia's younger son, Rahyl, makes his acting debut in the film. In the trailer, Rahyl plays the young Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, while Riteish, who has directed the film, plays the titular character.
Breaking down the trailer
Steeped in Maratha ethos, history and pride, the trailer shows Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as a warrior king who fights the Mughal and Adil Shahi dynasties to establish swarajya.
In the film, Genelia plays Shivaji Maharaj's wife, Saibai.
Sanjay Dutt, Vidya Balan and Abhishek Bachchan also play pivotal roles in the film.
The film is slated for release on May 1.
About Rahyl
Born in 2016, Rahyl is Riteish and Genelia Deshmukh's younger son; their elder son, Riaan, was born in 2014. The two brothers have often earned praise online for their respectful public gestures and for greeting the paparazzi with a namaste (folded hands) in public.
Riteish's labour of love
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.'”
Standing by his side was Genelia, who has supported him through these years, nurturing the dream of making this film.
“Dreaming is not a big deal... anyone can dream,” he said. “But having someone who stands by you while you are dreaming... that is Genelia. Someone who believed in me, someone who made this dream a reality... that is Genelia,” Riteish said, as Genelia broke down in tears.
Jyoti Deshpande and Genelia Deshmukh have produced Mumbai Film Company's Raja Shivaji, presented by Jio Studios.