At a time when big-screen spectacles are struggling to maintain momentum beyond opening weekend, Raja Shivaji seems to be holding its ground quite comfortably. The historical drama has continued to pull
audiences to theatres more than a week after release, with strong support coming particularly from Maharashtra and Marathi-speaking viewers.
Led by Riteish Deshmukh, the film crossed the ₹60 crore mark on its ninth day at the domestic box office. Released on May 1, the period drama has remained steady despite facing the usual weekday slowdown and competition from newer releases.
According to trade tracker Sacnilk, Raja Shivaji earned ₹5.60 crore net in India on Saturday, taking its total domestic collection to ₹61.45 crore. The film had collected ₹3.20 crore net on Friday.
Also Read: Ram Gopal Varma Lauds Raja Shivaji, Says Riteish Deshmukh Film Is ‘Creating Mayhem’ At Box Office
The film wrapped up its first week with ₹55.85 crore net. It began its theatrical run on a strong note with an opening collection of ₹11.35 crore, followed by ₹10.55 crore on Saturday and ₹12 crore on Sunday. Like most theatrical releases, the film saw numbers dip during weekdays, but it managed to maintain a fairly stable trend.
On Monday, the historical drama collected ₹5.60 crore, followed by ₹4.90 crore on Tuesday. Collections later settled at ₹4.25 crore on Wednesday and ₹4 crore on Thursday.
Interestingly, while Junaid Khan and Sai Pallavi’s Ek Din arrived in cinemas during the same period, the clash did little to slow Raja Shivaji’s run. While Riteish’s film continued attracting audiences, Ek Din struggled to gain momentum at the ticket windows.
Apart from Riteish, the film features an ensemble cast including Abhishek Bachchan, Genelia Deshmukh, Sanjay Dutt, Mahesh Manjrekar, Sachin Khedekar, Bhagyashree, Fardeen Khan, Jitendra Joshi and Amole Gupte.
A major talking point among audiences has also been Salman Khan’s special appearance in the film, which has reportedly been receiving loud reactions inside theatres. Another emotional highlight for fans is the acting debut of Riteish and Genelia’s son, Rahyl.
The film is backed by Genelia D’Souza and Jyoti Deshpande. Riteish and Genelia portray Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Saibai in the historical epic, which traces the life and legacy of the founder of the Maratha Empire.
Interestingly, Raja Shivaji had a long and difficult journey before finally reaching theatres. The project was first announced in 2016 before getting delayed multiple times. It was revived in 2019, but the COVID-19 pandemic pushed the film further until 2023, when Riteish decided to give the ambitious project one final attempt.
Recently, Riteish also addressed speculation surrounding the film’s reported ₹100 crore budget during an appearance on The Right Angle.
“About the figures floating around about Raja Shivaji’s budget, only the producers know the real budget. The last thing we need to do as filmmakers is to discuss the budget of a film because it doesn’t affect anything… If someone asks me the budget, I ask them ‘how much are you paying for a ticket to watch it?’ They say ‘ ₹100′ or ‘Rs250-300’, I reply that’s the budget. One should stop talking about it. Let it be magical, you just go and experience the film.”
Apart from playing the lead role, Riteish has also directed and co-written the film.
