Actor Riteish Deshmukh has taken on the roles of writer, director, producer, and lead actor for the film Raja Shivaji, based on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. After the recent release of the film’s trailer, one particular scene involving Sanjay Dutt and a Wagh Nakh (tiger claw) drew criticism. The actor-filmmaker has now addressed these objections.
Backlash directed at Riteish Deshmukh over the Wagh Nakh sequence
An X (formerly Twitter) user criticised Riteish for alleged historical inaccuracies in the Raja Shivaji trailer. The user wrote, “Did Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj display the ‘Wagh Nakh’ to Afzal Khan? The Wagh Nakh was drawn only after Afzal attacked Maharaj. Why is @Riteishd distorting the glorious history of Maharashtra?”
In a separate post, he shared screenshots of the scene in question and wrote, “The trailer of Riteish Deshmukh’s film depicts Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj openly showing the Wagh Nakh to Afzal Khan before the attack. Historically, however, the Wagh Nakh was concealed, and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj used it only after Afzal Khan attacked.”
He also added, “WHY IS @RITEISHD MANIPULATING & INSULTING CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI MAHARAJ'S & MAHARASHTRA'S HISTORY, LEGACY & PRIDE???”
Riteish Deshmukh responds to criticism
Riteish replied to the X user by reposting their criticism and wrote, "Respected Sir, please do watch the film on 1st May. The answer to your question is in the movie. I hope you enjoy it with your friends and family. Jai Shivrai (folded hands emoji)."
The X user appeared unconvinced, responding, “So the truth is ‘inside the film’? ‘Watch the film for answers’ works for fiction, not for history. When portraying Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the trailer itself should provide clarity, not create confusion. An interesting strategy: promote doubt, sell clarification.”
Several fans pushed back against the X user’s criticism. One person commented, “I think the scene takes place after Afzhal is stabbed.” Another wrote, “It’s a film—treat it as a film. If you like it, go watch it; if you don’t, then don’t. It’s that simple. We have bodies like the CBFC to handle these issues.” A third user remarked, “At least watch it first, brother. Do you really think Riteish Deshmukh is that foolish? He must have done his research before making the film. He surely knows that distorting history can cause serious problems. This outrage is unnecessary.”
Raja Shivaji is produced by Genelia D’Souza and Jyoti Deshpande. The cast also includes Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Mahesh Manjrekar, Sachin Khedekar, Bhagyashree, Fardeen Khan, Jitendra Joshi, Amole Gupte, and Genelia. The film is scheduled for a theatrical release in Marathi and Hindi on May 1.