Riteish Deshmukh reveals Salman Khan INSISTED on role in 'Raja Shivaji': 'You can't make the film without me'

Actor-filmmaker Riteish Deshmukh is all set to reign over the box office this Maharashtra Day, with the release of his historical epic 'Raja Shivaji'. The film that is already off to strong advance bookings at the box office, will feature an ensemble cast featuring Riteish in the titular role of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Vidya Balan, Bhagyashree, Mahesh Manjerakar, and Boman Irani in supporting roles. The film will also star Salman Khan in a special role, opposite Riteish, the actor confirmed early this year.

Riteish on collaborating with Salman

Now, ahead of the release of the film, Deshmukh opened up about how Salman came on board his upcoming film, after working together in films like 'Ved' and 'Lai Bhari'. Speaking about their long-standing camaraderie, Deshmukh recalled how the superstar insisted on being part of the project even before a role was finalised.



“When I did ‘Lai Bhari’, Salman Khan was in it. At the time, he requested, ‘I want to do a scene.’ When I was working on ‘Ved’, I called him and said, ‘Brother, I want to meet you’. He said, ‘Done!’ I said, ‘When?’ He said, ‘For which role you want to meet, it’s done?’ He just asked me, ‘How many days is the shoot?’ I said, ‘Two days’ and he just said, ‘Done’,” Deshmukh shared in an interview translated from Marathi, which was shared online by a fan handle.

Riteish reveals how Salman landed role in 'Raja Shivaji'

However, the actor revealed that the casting process was slightly different for ‘Raja Shivaji’. “I didn’t go to him in this film," Riteish revealed and went on to add, "We were together on New Year’s. He asked me when I was starting to shoot the movie. I said, ‘It’s starting this month.’ He said, ‘Which role am I playing?'”

He then shared that on telling Khan that he didn't have a role for him, he said that the superstar was insistent about being part of the project. "He said, ‘No, no, no... you can’t make the film without me, I have to be in it.’ That sense of warmth and belonging, that emotion… I was thinking that I hadn’t really thought it through yet. He said, ‘I should have a role in the film.’ Then there was a role… and Salman Khan was also a part of this film."

About 'Raja Shivaji'

‘Raja Shivaji’, a historical epic based on the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, arrives in theatres on May 1. While the film is off to a flying start at the box office, with an advance collection estimated at Rs 3 crore in just advance bookings, the film is looking forward to making a splash at the box office.


The film will have a three-way clash with the Bollywood love story 'Ek Din' starring Junaid Khan and Sai Pallavi in lead roles. It will also lock horns with the Hollywood comedy 'The Devil Wears Prada 2'. This Friday will see the films arrive amid an already crowded box office with Ranveer Singh's 'Dhurandhar: The Revenge', Akshay Kumar's 'Bhooth Bangla' and the Michael Jackson biopic 'Michael' currently running in theatres.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”