Riteish Deshmukh’s Raja Shivaji Rewrites Marathi Cinema History — And It’s Just Day 1!

Riteish Deshmukh had a dream. To tell the story of Maharashtra’s greatest warrior king — not in Hindi, not for Bollywood, but in Marathi, for his people. And on May 1, 2026 — Maharashtra Day — that dream didn’t just release in theatres. It exploded.

Raja Shivaji has officially become the biggest opening day film in Marathi cinema history, and the numbers are just getting started.

The Record-Breaking Box Office Story

The film closed its advance booking at a staggering ₹5.14 crore gross (excluding block seats), with the original Marathi version alone raking in ₹4.25 crore gross (₹3.60 crore net) — surpassing the long-standing opening-day benchmarks of Sairat and Timepass 2, which were approximately ₹3.60 crore net each. Business Standard

The Marathi version secured 1,600 shows — a record for any Marathi film — while the overall screen count across India stood at approximately 3,674, including 2,074 Hindi-language shows. Koimoi

This isn’t just a film opening — this is a cultural moment. For everything on how regional Indian cinema is scaling new heights, check out TechnoSports’ entertainment coverage for the latest updates.

Raja Shivaji — Quick Facts at a Glance

What Makes This Film Special?

Riteish Deshmukh not only directed and starred in the film, but also co-wrote it — and added a deeply personal touch by casting his own son Rahyl Deshmukh as Young Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Filmibeat

The story chronicles the rise of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj — one of India’s greatest military strategists and founder of the Maratha Empire — from a young rebel to a legendary ruler. Cinematography by the acclaimed Santosh Sivan and music by Ajay-Atul give the film a visual and sonic scale rarely seen in regional Indian cinema. India TV News

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