Mumbai, April 20 (IANS) Actress Genelia Deshmukh got emotional standing next to her husband Riteish Deshmukh at the trailer launch of the upcoming epic film ‘Raja Shivaji’. The actress and her husband attended the film’s trailer lunch in the city on Monday.

As Riteish spoke with the media, his wife was visibly moved, and even turned around to hide her tears from the media. Riteish spoke about his devotion to the Maratha warrior-king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and how much it means to him to make a film based on him.

He told the media, “Even if there are millions of films in this world, and even the best directors in this world, nobody can make a single film about Maharaj that will do complete justice to him. His name, his fame, the love people have for him is much more important than our actions. We can only make an honest effort”.

He further mentioned, “A dream is very easy. What is there in a dream? It is easy to see, But, to make it come true, we have to stand together. To make it happen, self-confidence is the key. I feel, this dream, which I have seen, has come true. I on behalf of the entire team, in front of God, would like to keep this film at the feet of Maharaj as an honest effort”.

Meanwhile, ‘Raja Shivaji’ portrays the legacy of the Maratha warrior-king, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. It stars Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Vidya Balan, Mahesh Manjrekar, Sachin Khedekar, Boman Irani, Bhagyashree, Fardeen Khan, Jitendra Joshi, Amol Gupte, Genelia Deshmukh, and Riteish Deshmukh. The film blends visual grandeur with a deeply emotional and inspiring narrative rooted in the birth of Swarajya.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was the founder of the Maratha Empire in western India. He established an independent kingdom by challenging the Deccan Sultanates and the Mughal Empire. In 1663, Shivaji led a successful raid on Pune, targeting Mughal general Shaista Khan, which weakened Mughal control in the region. In 1664, Shivaji conducted the first sack of Surat, a major Mughal port city, disrupting imperial trade. Presented by Jio Studios, Raja Shivaji a Mumbai Film Company production, produced by Jyoti Deshpande and Genelia Deshmukh, the film is set to release in cinemas worldwide on May 1, 2026 in Marathi, Hindi, and Telugu.

–IANS

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