Riteish Deshmukh slams ‘distorted nonsense’ on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj amid Dhirendra Shastri's remarks: ‘This is unacceptable’

Riteish Deshmukh has reacted strongly to recent remarks made about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, calling them “distorted nonsense” and “unacceptable.” The actor, who is gearing up for the release of his historical drama Raja Shivaji—where he essays the role of the legendary warrior king—shared a strongly worded note on social media.Taking to X, Riteish wrote in Marathi, expressing his anguish over the remarks. “When someone comes along and spews some distorted nonsense about our cherished deity, as a Shiv-premi and Shiv-bhakt, this is unacceptable and infuriating. Such futile attempts to belittle the legacy will not be tolerated at all.”He further added, “But just as the mountain ranges of the Sahyadri have existed for millions of years before, so too will that one name endure for crores of years in the future. And that name is of the Kshatriya lineage, the Lord of the Throne, the Emperor of Emperors, Chhatrapati Maharaj.”The backlash comes after remarks made by Dhirendra Krishna Shastri during a public event in Nagpur. Recounting an anecdote, he said, “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj grew very tired of fighting wars; he felt exhausted. One day, he went to Ramdas Swami. He took off his crown and placed it down, saying, ‘I do not want to fight wars anymore... We can no longer fight; we are very tired and need rest. We wish to do nothing for a few days.’”The statement quickly drew criticism from several quarters, with many calling it a misrepresentation of the Maratha king’s legacy.Raja Shivaji is a grand historical epic based on the life of Shivaji Maharaj. At the trailer launch, Riteish and Genelia turned emotional while speaking about the film, with the actor later thanking his wife for standing by him throughout the journey.The film traces Shivaji Maharaj’s early years, focusing on his oath to establish Swarajya and his resistance against powerful rulers of the time. It also stars Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Vidya Balan, Bhagyashree, Mahesh Manjerakar, and Boman Irani in key roles.Raja Shivaji is set to hit theatres on May 1.