Bollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh visited Pune's Shivneri Fort on the occasion of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti (February 19, 2026). He paid tribute to the late King on his birth anniversary, and also spoke to the media about how even after so many years, Shivaji Maharaj is an inspiration for the people.
Riteish said, "Aaj Shiva Jayanti hai, aur aaj ke din main sabhi Shiva bhakton ko, Shiva premiyon ko, meri or se hardik shubhkamnayein deta hoon. Aaj ka din bada hie saubhagya ka din hai. Aaj ke din hamare Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ka janam hua tha aur unki kirti aur unka shaurya, yeh sabhi logon ko pata hai (Today is Shiva Jayanti, and on this day, I extend my heartfelt greetings to all Shiva devotees and Shiva lovers. Today is a day of great fortune. Our Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was born on this day, and everyone knows about his fame and bravery)."
He further added, "Itne barson ke baad bhi, woh hame nayi urja dete hai, nayi prerna dete hai. Yahi prerna sabhi ko prapt ho, yahi main akansha aur subhekcha deta hoon (Even after so many years, he gives us new energy and inspiration. May everyone receive this inspiration; this is my hope and good wishes)."
Riteish Deshmukh's Raja Shivaji
Meanwhile, Riteish will be seen playing the role of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in a movie titled Raja Shivaji, which is being directed by him. The movie also stars Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Mahesh Manjrekar, Sachin Khedekar, Bhagyashree, Fardeen Khan, Jitendra Joshi, Amole Gupte, and Genelia Deshmukh. Reportedly, even Salman Khan has a cameo in the movie.
Raja Shivaji Release Date
Raja Shivaji is slated to release on May 1, 2026, coinciding Maharashtra Day. The movie will be released in Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada.
