By: Mohnish Singh
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is one of the most revered Maratha warriors, who united many kingdoms to form the glorious and one the biggest empires in the world, the Marathi Empire.
For the longest time, several filmmakers have been making efforts to put together a project based on the inspirational life of the brave warrior, but none of it has gotten off the ground so far.
Bollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh has time and again confirmed his plans to make a multilingual pan-India film on Shivaji Maharaj which will star him in the titular role. Ali Abbas Zafar, who is known for helming Sultan (2016), Tiger Zinda Hai (2017), and Bharat (2019), too was planning to direct a film with Salman Khan as Shivaji.
The latest we hear that producer Ashwin Varde is also planning to make a big-ticket film based on the life of Shivaji Maharaj. He has reportedly joined hands with Lyca Productions to bankroll the project.
“Ashwin Varde has joined hands with Lyca Productions who are soon going to make their foray in Bollywood in a big way. They are discussing multiple co-production ventures with producers and one of them is a mammoth period saga based on the life and triumphs of Chhatrapati Shivaji,” a source in the know informs an entertainment portal.
The source goes on to add that Shahid Kapoor, who worked with Varde on Kabir Singh (2019), has been offered the titular role. “Ashwin has approached Shahid Kapoor to star in the film. Shahid has loved the idea and if he says yes, this will be his second period saga after Padmaavat but unlike the Sanjay Leela Bhansali film, he will play the titular role in this one. Shahid and Ashwin have worked together on Kabir Singh previously and they are now locking modalities before they sign the contract,” concludes the source.
Meanwhile, Shahid Kapoor has finished his next Jersey and his debut streaming show for Amazon Prime Video. Jersey is set to debut in theatres on 5th November, 2021.
Keep visiting this space for more updates and reveals from the world of entertainment.
Former BBC Today presenter Mishal Husain speaks out on the evolving tone of broadcast journalism and the importance of ego-free reportingGetty Images 
Beets, bears, and brilliant chaos—Dwight Schrute was ready to make Schrute Farms the weirdest B&B on TVGetty Images 
Too fabulous to function—Jean-Ralphio was born to star in his own disaster-fuelled comedyGetty Images 
Omar - a prequel about his early days could’ve been HBO’s next gritty masterpieceGetty Images
Deadpan, dark, and delightful—April Ludgate’s FBI spin-off would’ve been everythingGetty Images
Sassy, spiritual, and full of secrets—Lafayette’s backstory was screaming for a supernatural seriesGetty Images
From Victorian poetry to vampire slaying, Spike’s centuries-long saga deserved its own spotlightGetty Images
Confidence, quirks, and questionable fashion—Schmidt’s next chapter could’ve been rom-com goldGetty Images
The villain we hated to love—Negan did get his spin-off, and it’s a bloody good oneGetty Images
Whimsical and wise—Luna’s magical adventures would’ve been a dreamy, otherworldly delightGetty Images
Chaotic queen energy—Gina’s influencer-era spin-off would’ve broken the internetGetty Images 
Drama unfolds as Cardi B calls out Offset for an affair with AriTheDon in explosive leaked messagesGetty Images 
Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh’s stunning £9.5 million sea-facing apartment in Mumbai nears completionGetty Images 