Bhagyashree has finally reacted to the online discussion around her playing the mother of Riteish Deshmukh in Raja Shivaji, even though she is reportedly only around 10 years older than him in real life. After the film crossed the ₹100 crore milestone and became one of Marathi cinema’s biggest recent successes, the casting conversation suddenly became a hot topic online, especially among audiences who noticed the relatively small age gap between the actors.
But for Bhagyashree, the emotional importance of portraying Rajmata Jijabai clearly mattered much more than age calculations. Speaking recently after the success of the film, the actress explained that there was never any chance she would reject a role connected to such an iconic historical figure. According to her, Jijabai herself became a mother at a very young age, so she did not see anything unusual about the casting choice.
The actress also revealed an interesting behind-the-scenes moment involving legendary cinematographer Santosh Sivan. Bhagyashree shared that he personally told her he had to use camera techniques to make her appear older while still managing to preserve her youthful look on screen. She admitted she considered the comment a huge compliment, especially coming from someone as respected as Santosh Sivan in Indian cinema.
Honestly, historical films often prioritize emotional authenticity and screen presence more than exact age realism, especially when portraying legendary personalities. And in the case of Raja Shivaji, many viewers felt Bhagyashree brought the required dignity and emotional weight to the role of Rajmata Jijabai, whose influence over Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj remains one of the most celebrated aspects of Maratha history.
Bhagyashree Says Shivaji Maharaj’s Stories Were Part Of Her Childhood
The connection also became deeply personal for Bhagyashree because, much like Jijabai, she herself belongs to Maharashtra’s royal heritage. The actress comes from the Patwardhan royal family of Sangli, and her father, Vijay Singhrao Madhavrao Patwardhan, is the titular king of Sangli. During the interview, she reflected emotionally on how stories of Shivaji Maharaj were introduced to her from childhood itself, long before Western fairy tales ever became familiar.
She recalled how children around her would build small forts made from mud and clay inspired by Shivaji Maharaj’s famous hill forts instead of ordinary sandcastles. That memory alone probably explains why the film and its characters carried emotional value for her beyond just another acting assignment.
Directed and co-produced by Riteish Deshmukh himself, Raja Shivaji has emerged as one of the biggest Marathi films in recent years. Apart from starring in the lead role, Riteish also handled direction responsibilities under the Mumbai Film Company banner alongside Genelia Deshmukh. The movie released in Marathi, Hindi, and Telugu on Maharashtra Day and has reportedly crossed around ₹111 crore globally so far.
The film also features an ensemble cast including Sanjay Dutt as Afzal Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Vidya Balan, Fardeen Khan, Sachin Khedekar, and Amol Gupte in pivotal roles.
Interestingly, the film’s climax reportedly hints strongly toward a sequel by ending with the famous confrontation involving Afzal Khan. Given the massive response at the box office and the emotional connection audiences have shown toward the story, it honestly wouldn’t be surprising if the makers soon move forward with another chapter expanding Shivaji Maharaj’s journey further on screen.
