Riteish DeshmukhThe historical epic of Raja Shivaji has made quite an impression at the box office since its release on May 1. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharajthe film has collected a whopping 33 crores in its first three days, garnering considerable attention across Maharashtra.Amidst the film’s success, Riteish revealed an interesting behind-the-scenes detail that several actors chose to be a part of the project without charging a fee. “This Marathi film has hit the most screens in Maharashtra. We have read all the books; Maharaj’s history is not something that can be captured in one film. It was our job to show this film without doing any harm to the history. Salman Khan he is my brother; he was in two of my films. I spent three and a half years writing the film. All the great actors worked for free in this movie; everyone has worked for Maharaj for free,” said Riteish Deshmukh.He also talked about the wider reach of the film, “We have aired this film in Hindi and Marathi. Summer vacations are starting, it’s a good opportunity for the whole family and young children to get information about Maharaj from this film.”The film has an ensemble cast, with Salman Khan making a special appearance as Shivaji Maharaj’s loyal bodyguard Jiva Mahale. Abhishek Bachchan Sambhaji essays the role of Shahji Bhosale, while Sanjay Dutt Afzal Khan.The film also stars Vidya Balan, Mahesh ManjrekarSachin Khedekar, Boman IraniBhagyashree, Fardeen KhanJitendra Joshi, Amol Gupte and Genelia Deshmukh along with Riteish.
