Riteish Deshmukh DISMISSES Claims Of Raja Shivaji Made On Rs 100 Cr Budget; Questions, “How Much Are You Paying For A Ticket?”

As discussions around box office numbers and actor fees continue to dominate the film industry, actor-director Riteish Deshmukh believes the focus has shifted away from the magic of cinema itself. His latest film, Raja Shivaji, released on May 1 and received a strong response from audiences, especially in its Marathi version. The film has grossed Rs 66.38 crore so far, sparking widespread discussions about its reported Rs 100 crore budget. Riteish has now reacted to the speculation and shared his views on why such conversations take away from the movie-watching experience.

Riteish Deshmukh Dismisses Claims Of Raja Shivaji Made On Rs 100 Cr Budget

Speaking to Hindustan Times, Riteish Deshmukh said, “About the figures floating around regarding Raja Shivaji’s budget, only the producers know the real numbers. The last thing we need to do as filmmakers is to discuss the budget of a film because it doesn’t affect anything.”

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A post shared by Riteish Deshmukh (@riteishd)

He further added, “Why does the budget matter? If someone asks me, I ask them, ‘How much are you paying for a ticket to watch it?’ They say ‘Rs 100’ or ‘Rs 250–300’, and I reply, ‘That’s the budget.’ We should stop talking about it. Let it be magical, just go and experience the film.”

Riteish Deshmukh also reflected on how audiences once approached cinema purely for entertainment. Recalling his childhood memories of watching Amitabh Bachchan films like Sholay, he said, “When I went to watch Amitabh Bachchan ji’s films like Sholay, I never thought, ‘What’s the budget of this film?’ I just wanted to enjoy the big-screen entertainment. We never knew how much films collected. Unfortunately, that’s the game today, people wonder how much actors charge for films. It’s our mistake because we feed these numbers. Those who think this is fine, it’s okay. We have made seven films in Marathi so far, and we have never revealed their budgets.”

Riteish Deshmukh On Marathi Cinema

At the same time, Riteish celebrated the success of Marathi cinema and the strong performance of Raja Shivaji’s Marathi version. In a conversation with Zoom, he said, “Regional cinema is important. It needs to be supported, and I’m glad that people have gone out to watch the film in large numbers. I’m not taking this as a personal victory, please don’t get me wrong. I’m speaking only as part of the Marathi film ecosystem. There was a figure for the highest-grossing first day, and Raja Shivaji has opened almost two and a half times that, which is huge for a Marathi film. This shows that Marathi films can achieve these numbers. I hope another film comes soon and breaks this record.”

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A post shared by Riteish Deshmukh (@riteishd)

He further stressed the need for the industry to keep growing through bigger commercial milestones. “Unless records are broken and commercial boundaries are pushed, the industry will not grow. I’m not here thinking, ‘Oh, my film set a record; it should never be broken.’ No, please. I hope the next film breaks this record because that is the biggest victory for Raja Shivaji, setting a benchmark for the industry.”

About Raja Shivaji

Produced by Jio Studios and Mumbai Film Company, Raja Shivaji is based on the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the founder of the Maratha Empire. The film features Riteish Deshmukh alongside Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Vidya Balan, Mahesh Manjrekar, Sachin Khedekar, Bhagyashree, Fardeen Khan, Jitendra Joshi, Boman Irani, Amol Gupte, and Genelia Deshmukh. Salman Khan also makes a cameo appearance in the film.

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Also Read: Raja Shivaji Box Office Day 7: Riteish Deshmukh’s Historic Drama Crosses Rs 50 Cr Mark In Week 1

Varsha Tiwari

Varsha Tiwari is a budding content writer passionate about Bollywood, pop culture, and the stories behind the spotlight. She enjoys breaking down trends, celebrity moments, and film narratives into engaging, reader-friendly content. Always curious and observant, she is currently pursuing a Master’s in Communication and Journalism. Outside of writing, she enjoys painting because storytelling doesn’t always need words to make an impact.