Riteish DeshmukhHe also sees the portrait of director ‘Raja Shivaji’ Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharajit has been exceptionally good in theaters. Although it has set a benchmark at the Marathi cinema box office, the film has received rave reviews from all over. Apart from Riteish, the film also stars Abhishek Bachchan, Vidya BalanSanjay Dutt and has a cameo Salman Khan. In a recent interview, Riteish revealed that he has brought all these actors on board and that none of them have been paid for the film.Riteish shared that most Hindi film actors associated with Raja Shivaji came on board out of pure admiration for Shivaji Maharaji and the personal relationships they share with him. Opening up about his bond with actors like Salman Khan and Abhishek Bachchan, Riteish said some relationships go beyond formal definitions and are built on mutual love and trust.In an interview with Live Times he said, “This is just an untold kind of love and respect for each other, unconditional. Tomorrow if Abhishek or Salman say to me, ‘What this?’ I will say yes without even thinking, because if he thought of me, I must be there.’The casting director further revealed that Abhishek Bachchan agreed to join the film without even asking about the role he was being offered. Talking about the goodwill he has built over the years in the industry, Riteish said, “This is what I have earned in 23 years. I am truly indebted to all of them.”According to Riteish, discussions about payment never came up when he approached his colleagues for the project. He added that the actors chose to be a part of the film because of the story and its emotional significance, rather than financial considerations.He shared, “Salman Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Vidya Balan, Fardeen Khan, Boman IraniGenelia Deshmukh, and I didn’t charge. We all worked completely pro bono to make this film what it is today.”The filmmaker also revealed that he spent more than three-and-a-half years researching and writing ‘Raja Shivaji’. The project features actors from both Bollywood and Marathi cinema, and is one of the most ambitious teams assembled in recent years.
