RGV Turns Bollywood Spotlight On Riteish Deshmukh’s Next

Riteish Deshmukh, who recently appeared in Housefull 5 starring with Akshay Kumar and Abhishek Bachchan, is taking his career to new heights, moving from comedy and romantic films to directing a historical action drama, Raja Shivaji, scheduled for release on May 1, 2026.

He debuted as a director with the Marathi film Ved (2022), a remake of the Telugu hit Majili, which features Akkineni Naga Chaitanya and Samantha Ruth Prabhu. Now, he is directing and starring in Raja Shivaji, giving fans a glimpse of his versatility in both performance and filmmaking.

The project has gained attention after Ram Gopal Varma praised it, saying: “Me with the RAJA SHIVAJI… Can’t wait to see Riteish’s next directorial. Whatever I heard of it, it will be the best historical film in India. 🙏🙏🙏” Fans are excited to see him take on a strong lead role in a historical setting.

Riteish began his career in 2003 with Tujhe Meri Kasam and later acted as a villain and comedian in the Housefull series. While shooting Raja Shivaji, he is also working on more projects in the comedy genre, Masti 4 and Dhamaal 4, showing his ability to handle multiple projects and keep audiences engaged.