As Raja Shivaji is all set to FINALLY break Sairat’s 10-year record, experts congratulate Riteish Deshmukh: “Whenever he does a Marathi movie, he SHAKES up the box office”

The much-loved historical Raja Shivaji, produced by Jio Studios and Mumbai Film Company, has collected Rs. 84.70 crores in two weeks. The film, directed by Riteish Deshmukh and starring him in the leading role, is holding steady, and trade and industry are excited to see if and when it enters the Rs. 100 crore club. However, what’s also significant is that in a few days from now, it’ll cross the Rs. 90 crore club. Once that happens, the ten-year-old record of Sairat (2016) will finally be broken, and the historical will emerge as the highest Marathi grosser of all time.

Bollywood Hungama spoke to experts to understand what the success of Raja Shivaji means and what more Marathi cinema can do to find widespread acceptance. Popular actor-producer Adinath Kothare said, “It’s a very important milestone. I want to congratulate Riteish Deshmukh for taking this daring, huge step.”

Trade veteran Taran Adarsh opined, “Raja Shivaji is a big achievement for Riteish, especially for carrying a film of this scale. A subject like this can open the door for controversies. But there has been no controversy. People have loved the film and that’s reflected in the box office numbers. And look at the star cast. Only Riteish could have pulled it off!”

He added, “We have started accepting Telugu cinema in a very big way, more so after they started getting dubbed in Hindi. At the same time, we have also embraced films from other South territories. Similarly, it’s time we accept stories from other states as well. There are some great stories being told and Raja Shivaji is a shining example of it. Sairat was also a brilliant film made by a superb filmmaker, Nagraj Manjule. Riteish had already proved his worth in Marathi cinema with Ved.”

Shariq Patel, former CEO of Zee Studios and who backed several Marathi films, commented, “Such collections obviously boost the entire ecosystem. It gives great impetus to think about what to do next and how to aim higher. Marathi cinema has usually been synonymous with quality and awards. Hence, to have such blockbuster numbers is superb and if it manages to break Sairat’s record, it’s great.”

Author and film critic Ganesh Matkari revealed, “It is an important milestone in terms of the box office. Earlier films about Chhatrapati Shivaji focused on specific episodes of his life. In those films, other characters were also important. In this regard, Raja Shivaji stands out – it depicts several events of Chhatrapati’s life. This factor also enticed people, as something like this was attempted for the first time. I have not seen the film, but I heard that it has a slightly different portrayal of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj than other films.”

To conclude

The industry seems to be optimistic about the future. Shariq Patel said, “I remember talking to Riteish after Ved’s success and suggested that we really need to step up, make huge investments and ensure Marathi cinema also delivers a huge grosser. He is a superstar in Marathi cinema and I am glad he took this initiative into creating an iconic film. He does few Marathi films, but whenever he does, he leaves a huge impact and shakes up the box office. Hopefully, Marathi cinema will now start seeing numbers come up.”

Taran Adarsh signed off by saying, “This is a very big, encouraging sign for Marathi filmmakers who would want to think big and think pan-India.”

Adinath Kothare, in agreement, hoped, “The success of Raja Shivaji is going to open a lot of new doors and horizons for Marathi cinema. This project is going to create a perception that we can dream big in Marathi also.”

Highest Marathi grossers of all time:

1. Sairat – Rs. 90 cr
2. Raja Shivaji – Rs. 84.70 cr (as of May 14)
3. Baipan Bhari Deva – Rs. 76.05 cr
4. Ved – Rs. 60 cr
5. Natsmarat – Rs. 40 cr
6. Lai Bhaari – Rs. 35.10 cr

Also Read: Was Raja Shivaji made on budget of Rs 100 crores? Riteish Deshmukh BREAKS SILENCE

The post As Raja Shivaji is all set to FINALLY break Sairat’s 10-year record, experts congratulate Riteish Deshmukh: “Whenever he does a Marathi movie, he SHAKES up the box office” appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.

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