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Bhagyashree Defends Playing Jijabai As Raja Shivaji Crosses Rs 100 Crore

In a May 24 Zoom interview she said the role's cultural weight made it irresistible, prompting producers to explore a sequel.

Overview

  • Raja Shivaji was released on May 1 in Marathi, Hindi and Telugu and has since become a major commercial hit for regional cinema.
  • Trade reports place the film's worldwide box-office at about Rs 111 crore, marking one of the few Marathi-language releases to pass the ₹100 crore threshold.
  • Bhagyashree told Zoom she accepted the role of Rajmata Jijabai for its historical and cultural importance and defended playing the mother of Riteish Deshmukh despite an roughly 10-year real-life age gap.
  • Cinematographer Santosh Sivan praised Bhagyashree's youthful screen presence and said camera work was used to age her for the part, a point she highlighted in her interview.
  • Riteish Deshmukh directed, starred as Shivaji and co-produced the film with Genelia Deshmukh under Mumbai Film Company, and the film's ending and box-office strength have been presented as creating scope for a follow-up that could expand the project into a franchise.