The timing could not have been more dramatic. Just days before his big historical film hits theatres, Riteish Deshmukh has jumped straight into a heated conversation, and he is clearly not in the mood to stay quiet.
On Sunday, the actor took to X and dropped a fiery message that has now grabbed everyone’s attention. Without naming anyone directly, Riteish called out what he described as “distorted nonsense” being spread about Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The internet didn’t take long to connect the dots.
कोणीतरी येतो आणि आपल्या आराध्य दैवताबद्दल काहीतरी विकृत बरळतो, एक शिवप्रेमी-शिवभक्त म्हणून हे अमान्य आणि संतापजनक आहे.
असले चौकटीत अडकवण्याचे फोल प्रयत्न काळाच्या उदरात गडप होतील. पण सह्याद्रीच्या पर्वतरांगा जशा लाखो वर्ष आधी होत्या तसंच ‘ते’ एकच नाव करोडो वर्ष भविष्यातही राहील.…— Riteish Deshmukh (@Riteishd) April 26, 2026
Riteish Deshmukh’s fiery post sparks buzz
Riteish wrote his message in Marathi. He said that when someone spreads twisted or false things about a respected figure like Shivaji Maharaj, it is not just wrong, it is deeply upsetting.
Calling himself both a “Shiv-premi” and “Shiv-bhakt,” Riteish made it clear that such attempts to insult or weaken the legacy of the great king will not be accepted.
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But he didn’t stop there. In a poetic tone, he compared Shivaji Maharaj’s legacy to the ancient Sahyadri mountain ranges, saying they have stood strong for millions of years and so will Shivaji’s name for crores of years to come. He ended by praising Shivaji as a powerful ruler, calling him the “Emperor of Emperors” and a proud figure of Kshatriya lineage.
Though he did not mention anyone directly, the message was strong enough to make its target obvious.
What Bageshwar Baba said that triggered reactions
The controversy began after remarks made by Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, widely known as Bageshwar Baba, during a public event in Nagpur. He was speaking at the foundation stone-laying ceremony of Bhardurga Shaktisthal when he shared a story about Shivaji Maharaj.
According to him, Shivaji Maharaj once grew tired of fighting battles and felt completely exhausted. He said the king approached Ramdas Swami, removed his crown, and expressed his wish to step away from war and responsibilities for some time. In his narration, Shivaji even asked Ramdas Swami to take charge of the kingdom.
These comments quickly caught attention and sparked strong reactions from many people, including Riteish.
‘Raja Shivaji’ gears up for release
Interestingly, all of this is happening just before the release of Riteish’s ambitious film ‘Raja Shivaji’, which is going to hit theatres on May 1. The film is very close to him as he has not only acted in it but also directed and co-written it.
The project is production of Jyoti Deshpande and Riteish’s wife, actor Genelia Deshmukh. The story focuses on the early life of Shivaji Maharaj, especially his powerful vow to build Swarajya and his resistance against mighty rulers of his time.
The film also boasts a big cast, including Genelia Deshmukh, Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Vidya Balan, Bhagyashree, Mahesh Manjerakar, and Boman Irani. Adding a personal touch, Riteish’s son Rahyl is making his debut in the film, playing the young Shivaji.