Riteish Deshmukh's Raja Shivaji Look Gets Mixed Reactions, Reddit Users Say 'Misfit' But Fans Defend It

 

Bollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh is set to star in his forthcoming movie titled Raja Shivaji, where he will essay the character of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The film's trailer, which was dropped on April 20, was received with praise from his fans. Nevertheless, a number of people have criticised his choice for this prominent character and deemed him a "misfit" to play the part.

While fans on Instagram lauded the film, with comments such as "Incredible", "Superb", and one writing, "The only actor who can change the fate of Marathi cinema", the criticism gained traction after a Reddit user shared a still from the film and wrote, “He’s such a misfit for the movie.”

 

The post quickly went viral, with many users sharing similar views. One comment read, “Tbh, even Ram Charan would look good in this movie.” Another user compared the situation to Akshay Kumar’s portrayal in the 2022 movie Samrat Prithviraj, stating, “Unfortunately, it’s true. His voice doesn’t have that power. This will be like Akshay Kumar in the Prithviraj Chauhan movie.”

 

Several users questioned Riteish’s suitability for portraying a warrior king. One comment read, “Absolutely! He can’t do justice to the role. Sharad Kelkar was phenomenal as Shivaji.” Another wrote, “Oh absolutely! He doesn’t have the aura & personality to carry the role of a warrior.”

 

Some remarks also focused on his physical appearance and screen presence. A user commented, “Ritesh has a very feminine body. Doesn’t have a warrior-like body or body language. This is a very sorry portrayal of the greatest icon in Indian History.” Another added, “Riteish’s tone and dialogue delivery don’t create the impact of the strong force that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was. Neither does he look the part, even after the make-up.”

Apart from Riteish, some users also criticised the overall casting of the film. One comment read, “Worst casting of this decade.” Another wrote, “A nepo boat venture with Abhishek Bachchan, Fardeen and him.” A third user added, “This looks like a group project, terrible casting.”

 

The trailer of Raja Shivaji was launched at a grand event in Mumbai on Monday. During the event, Riteish Deshmukh became emotional while talking about the journey of making the film. He also thanked his wife, Genelia Deshmukh and Abhishek Bachchan for supporting him throughout the project.

Raja Shivaji is directed by Riteish Deshmukh and produced by Genelia Deshmukh and Jyoti Deshpande. The film is based on the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the founder of the Maratha Empire. It also features Abhishek Bachchan, Genelia Deshmukh, Sanjay Dutt, Mahesh Manjrekar, Sachin Khedekar, Bhagyashree, Fardeen Khan, Jitendra Joshi and Amole Gupte.