Raja Shivaji Advance Booking: Riteish Deshmukh's Marathi Movie Sees Strong Opening Despite Controversy

Raja Shivaji Advance Booking: Riteish Deshmukh portrays Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in upcoming movie, Raja Shivaji, . On May 1, 2026, the Marathi, Hindi, and Telugu versions of the film, which pays homage to the Maratha ruler, will be released in theaters. A strong reaction to advance booking is anticipated before to the movie's release. With the premiere of Raja Shivaji just one day away, let's have a look at the cast, runtime, advance booking status, and other details of this masterpiece.

Raja Shivaji's Marathi and Hindi versions have already sold about 60,000 seats, according to the website Sacnilk. With one day remaining until its debut on May 1, the numbers are anticipated to rise. With block tickets, the film's Day 1 pre-sales have already surpassed 3 crore.

Raja Shivaji's pre-sales figures appear to be very encouraging. According to sacnilk, a double-digit opening would be almost certain if this amount of booking was noted for a prominent Bollywood movie. While this historical drama is also being released in Hindi, the reception hasn't been the same, suggesting that it will start at about 2 crore net.

ALSO READ - Who Was Jiva Mahale? Salman Khan To Play Maratha Warrior And Chhatrapati Shivaji's Bodyguard In Raja Shivaji

While Raja Shivaji is a bilingual film, it is still primarily a Marathi-language movie, with Maharashtra serving as its main source of revenue. This limits Raja Shivaji's capacity to fully capitalize on its outstanding pre-sales, even if the picture is releasing on Maharashtra day, in contrast to Bollywood films, which enjoy a larger national reach. 

What Is The Raja Shivaji Controversy?

Despite the positive reviews for the Raja Shivaji trailer, there has been some controversy around the use of Wagh Nakh in a particular sequence. Prior to his battle with Afzal Khan, Chhatrapati Shivaji made a clear use of Wagh Nakh. On X, a number of users argued that the portrayal contradicts acknowledged historical facts.

ALSO READ - ‘Distorted Nonsense Will Not Be Tolerated’: Riteish Deshmukh Reacts Strongly After Baba Bageshwar’s Remark On Shivaji Maharaj

The majority of history claimed Raja Shivaji used the Wagh Nakh only after Afzal Khan attempted to kill him. The two were thought to have been in a tent with one emissary each and two soldiers. Shivaji Maharaj was allegedly attacked by Afzal Khan after he gave him a hug. However, the chain mail armor he was wearing under saved him. He used the hidden Wagh Nakh to retaliate. Afzal Khan was thought to have been decapitated after losing the duel.

About Raja Shivaji

Raja Shivaji is a biographical drama based on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's life. It will examine some of his most famous moments, such as the Battle of Pratapgad.

Riteish Deshmukh, Sanjay Dutt, Genelia Deshmukh, Abhishek Bachchan, Fardeen Khan, Vidya Balan, Bhagyashree, Mahesh Manjrekar, and Amol Gupte are among the ensemble cast members of the movie. Salman Khan also makes a cameo appearance.

Raja Shivaji, produced by Jio Studios and Mumbai Feature Company, is touted as the biggest Marathi film to date. The movie will be released in Marathi, Hindi, and Telugu on May 1, 2026, Maharashtra Day.