Raj Thackeray Unveils the Trailer of Writer-Director Mahesh Manjrekar’s ‘Punha Shivajiraje Bhosale’!

The much-anticipated and ambitious film Punha Shivajiraje Bhosale by renowned writer-director #MaheshManjrekar is set to hit screens soon. After the earlier teaser had already sparked audience curiosity, the trailer—which takes the excitement to its peak—was recently launched at a grand event. The program was graced by the special presence of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, along with the film’s cast, crew, and several dignitaries.With a unique and stirring concept, the film imagines the great Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj appearing in modern times to fight for the survival of Maharashtra’s farmers. Produced by The Great Maratha Entertainment, Satya-Sai Films, and Krizolh, and presented by Zee Studios, the film is scheduled for release on October 31.

At the trailer launch, Raj Thackeray remarked that Punha Shivajiraje Bhosale is a powerful portrayal of the farmers’ struggles in Maharashtra. He emphasized that only someone with deep emotional connection to the state could make such a film, and praised Mahesh Manjrekar’s courage for addressing the issue in this manner. He noted that past works on Shivaji Maharaj focused on history, while this film blends history and the present to depict farmers’ suffering, expressing confidence that audiences will wholeheartedly embrace it.Speaking on the occasion, Mahesh Manjrekar said that the issue of farmer suicides had disturbed him for many years. After extensive research, he felt compelled to present the problem to society. Initially considering a film with National Award-winning child actors Trisha Thosar and Bhargav Jagtap, he evolved the idea into this feature.

The film shows how enraged Shivaji Maharaj might be upon seeing the plight of today’s farmers, making it, in his words, “a film for every Marathi person.”Bhavesh Janvalekar, Business Head of Zee Studios Marathi, highlighted the strong collaboration between Manjrekar and Zee Studios, noting this marks their fifth film together. He stated that audiences will witness a modern-day version of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the film, which tackles an important subject and could become a landmark in cinema. He expressed gratitude to Raj Thackeray for attending the event.

Actor #SiddharthBodke, who plays Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, described the role as a great responsibility. He said audiences will see an intense and deeply agitated Maharaj in the film, a portrayal that demanded detailed study and preparation—with significant guidance from Manjrekar. He expressed confidence that viewers would appreciate his performance.The cast also includes Vikram Gaikwad, Shashank Shende, Mangesh Desai, Prithvik Pratap, Rohit Mane, Nityashree, and veteran actor Sayaji Shinde. National Award-winning child actors Trisha Thosar and Bhargav Jagtap also play pivotal roles. The story and screenplay are by Mahesh Manjrekar, with dialogues by Siddharth Salvi. Produced by #RahulPuranik and #RahulSugandh, the film will be released through Zee Studios on October 31.

By Keerti Kadam