FILM REVIEW: RAJA SHIVAJI

Introduction

Making a film on the life and legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is not just a cinematic responsibility it is an emotional and cultural challenge. Every generation has grown up hearing stories of bravery, strategy, sacrifice, and Swarajya associated with the Maratha warrior king. So naturally, expectations from Raja Shivaji were sky-high from the moment Riteish Deshmukh announced the project.

Mounted on a grand scale and backed by impressive production values, the film attempts to chronicle Shivaji Maharaj’s rise before his coronation as Chhatrapati. The film does not merely rely on sword fights and war cries; it tries to humanize the icon by showing the emotional, political, and spiritual layers behind the warrior. At the same time, it understands the mass appeal needed for theatrical storytelling.

What works immediately in the film’s favour is its sincerity. This is not a lazy historical drama made only to capitalize on sentiment. You can sense the passion and effort in almost every frame. However, passion alone is not enough to create a flawless cinematic experience, and that is where the film occasionally struggles.

Despite its shortcomings, the film succeeds in delivering an emotionally engaging and visually rich experience that respects the legacy of Shivaji Maharaj while attempting to present him to a pan-Indian audience.

Screenplay & Script Sense

The screenplay is one of the film’s strongest aspects for the most part. Instead of turning the narrative into a documentary-style history lesson, the writers keep the storytelling dramatic and emotionally involving. The political conspiracies, the growing dream of Swarajya, and the emotional equations within the Bhonsale family are woven effectively into the narrative.

The first half takes time to establish the world and the circumstances around young Shivaji’s rise. Some viewers may find the pacing slow initially, but the build-up helps later emotional moments land with impact. The film particularly shines in scenes involving strategy, ideology, and the emotional teachings of Jijabai.

What stands out is the attempt to showcase lesser-discussed aspects of Shivaji Maharaj’s journey instead of only focusing on familiar textbook moments. The film spends considerable time on the influence of Shahaji Raje and the internal political environment shaping Shivaji’s vision. That depth gives the screenplay maturity.

However, the screenplay becomes uneven in the second half. Certain sequences feel stretched, especially during the pre-climax portions. A few scenes repeat the same emotional beats repeatedly, which slightly affects momentum. The film’s nearly three-hour runtime begins to show during these portions.

Some dialogues hit powerfully, especially those centred on Swarajya and self-respect, while others sound overly theatrical. The Hindi dubbed/dialogue portions occasionally lose the organic flavour that Marathi audiences would connect with more deeply.

Still, compared to many recent historical spectacles that rely only on visual grandeur, Raja Shivaji at least tries to maintain narrative substance alongside scale.

Direction

As a director, Riteish Deshmukh deserves credit for ambition. Handling a subject of this magnitude is not easy, especially for a directorial venture carrying emotional expectations from millions.

His vision is clear he wants the film to feel grand yet emotionally rooted. And in many moments, he achieves exactly that. The battle sequences are staged with conviction, the emotional scenes are handled respectfully, and the overall tone remains sincere throughout.

The film never slips into parody or over-commercialization, which is a major achievement considering the scale. Riteish also succeeds in maintaining a strong emotional core instead of reducing Shivaji Maharaj into only an invincible action hero.

That said, there are moments where the direction lacks cinematic sharpness. Some scenes could have been tighter and more impactful with better staging. A few dramatic moments are prolonged unnecessarily. Certain VFX-heavy sequences also dilute the emotional intensity because the visual execution doesn’t fully match the ambition.

Still, for a film of this scale, Riteish shows impressive control. The emotional sincerity and respect toward the subject are visible throughout the film, and that helps audiences forgive many imperfections.

Acting

The biggest talking point surrounding the film was naturally Riteish Deshmukh playing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. And to be fair, he delivers a committed performance.

Rather than trying to imitate a larger-than-life mythical image, Riteish plays Shivaji Maharaj with restraint and emotional intensity. His performance works best in scenes involving ideology, family emotions, and leadership conversations. He portrays the king’s compassion and intelligence convincingly.

However, in some high-voltage scenes requiring towering screen presence and fierce authority, the performance occasionally lacks the intimidating aura expected from such a legendary figure. Still, his sincerity keeps the portrayal respectable and emotionally grounded.

Sanjay Dutt as Afzal Khan brings immense screen weight to the film. His commanding presence elevates every confrontation scene. Even with limited screen time compared to the protagonist, he leaves a lasting impact and adds menace to the narrative.

Abhishek Bachchan delivers a controlled and mature performance as Sambhaji Shahaji Bhonsale. He brings dignity and calmness to the role, although his Marathi dialogue delivery occasionally feels less natural.

Vidya Balan is excellent in emotional sequences. She adds grace and emotional strength to the narrative. Her scenes carry warmth and emotional intelligence without becoming melodramatic.

Genelia Deshmukh looks sincere in her role and shares emotional chemistry with Riteish, but her dialogue delivery feels inconsistent in some scenes.

The surprise package is undoubtedly Fardeen Khan, who brings maturity and restraint to his role. Mahesh Manjrekar once again proves why he remains such a dependable performer in historical dramas.

Even the younger actors playing Shivaji at different stages deserve appreciation for maintaining innocence and determination naturally on screen.

Supporting Cast

The supporting cast plays a major role in making the film feel authentic and emotionally layered.

Sachin Khedekar brings dignity and emotional maturity to his scenes. Boman Irani is dependable as always and lends gravitas to the political portions of the story.

Amole Gupte leaves an impact despite limited screen time, while Jitendra Joshi fits naturally into the film’s world.

One of the strengths of the film is that supporting characters never feel like decorative additions. Most of them contribute meaningfully to the emotional and political atmosphere.

Even cameo appearances are handled smartly. Salman Khan, in his brief role as Jeeva Mahala, creates strong crowd-pleasing moments and adds star value without disturbing the narrative balance.

Cinematography

Santosh Sivan delivers visually rich cinematography that becomes one of the film’s biggest assets.

The landscapes, forts, battlefields, and palace interiors are captured beautifully. Several frames resemble paintings, especially during sunrise battle sequences and emotional scenes involving the Sahyadri mountains.

The use of natural lighting in many scenes enhances authenticity. Instead of relying excessively on glossy visuals, the cinematography tries to retain an earthy texture appropriate for the film’s setting.

The action scenes are shot with scale and clarity, although some VFX-heavy portions slightly reduce immersion. Still, visually, the film remains consistently impressive.

Music & Background Score

The music by Ajay-Atul carries the emotional and spiritual soul of the film.

The background score especially works wonderfully during war sequences and emotional monologues. The drums, chants, and orchestral build-ups create goosebumps in several moments.

The anthem portions have genuine theatrical impact and are likely to become audience favourites. Even critics of the film have acknowledged how strongly the background score elevates scenes that might otherwise have felt ordinary.

Some songs interrupt the pacing slightly, but musically the film remains powerful and emotionally stirring.

Editing

The editing is effective in the first half but inconsistent later.

The film could easily have been trimmed by 20–25 minutes without affecting the emotional core. Certain repetitive dramatic scenes and extended conversations slow down momentum in the latter portions.

However, the transitions between political drama, emotional storytelling, and action are mostly smooth. The battle sequences are edited sharply and maintain energy.

A tighter runtime would have made the overall experience more impactful.

Final Verdict

Raja Shivaji is not a perfect historical epic, but it is a heartfelt and ambitious cinematic tribute that deserves appreciation for its sincerity and emotional conviction.

The film succeeds more as an emotional celebration of Shivaji Maharaj’s ideals than as a flawless technical masterpiece. Strong performances, rich cinematography, powerful music, and respectful storytelling keep the film engaging despite its pacing issues and uneven VFX.

For audiences emotionally connected to Maratha history and the legacy of Shivaji Maharaj, the film offers many goosebumps-worthy moments. For neutral viewers, it remains a visually grand historical drama with enough emotional depth to stay engaging.

It may not redefine the genre, but it certainly stands among the more sincere historical dramas made in recent years.

On the Plus Side

• Sincere and respectful storytelling

• Strong emotional foundation

• Excellent background score by Ajay-Atul

• Powerful supporting performances

• Grand cinematography by Santosh Sivan

• Several goosebumps-inducing moments

• Strong production scale and ambition

On the Minus Side

• Overlong runtime

• Uneven pacing in second half

• VFX quality fluctuates noticeably

• Some performances feel linguistically inconsistent

• A few scenes lack the larger-than-life impact expected from such a subject

One Liner

“Raja Shivaji doesn’t just recreate history on screen it recreates the emotion of Swarajya in the hearts of the audience.”