Kamal Ghorui
‘Raja Shivaji’, directed by and starring Riteish Deshmukh in the lead, has hit a new milestone at the box office. The Marathi film, that tells the story of the Marathi warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, has officially crossed the Rs 50 crore mark at the worldwide box office.According to a report on Sacnilk, the film that was released in Marathi and Hindi, has been maintaining a strong run at the box office. The film, which is still in its first week, managed to hit the mark despite witnessing a noticeable weekday slowdown.On Day 5 (Tuesday), the film witnessed a dip in collections, earning an estimated Rs 3.35 crore net in Marathi across approximately 1,851 shows. The gross collection for the day in Marathi stood at around Rs 3.95 crore, marking a 20.4% decline compared to Monday’s figures.So far, the film has amassed a total net collection of Rs 44 crore across 28,868 shows, with the Marathi version contributing a significant Rs 30.5 crore. The Hindi version, while comparatively slower, has been picking up momentum through positive word-of-mouth and great audience feedback.The film’s India gross currently stands at Rs 52.68 crore, making it one of the most successful Marathi film releases of all time. As per listings, the film has now entered the top 5 list of the highest-earning Marathi films of all time.The film hitting the Rs 50 crore mark comes amid demands by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve, to make the film tax-free in Maharashtra to enable a larger audience to watch the film. Danve, in a letter written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, noted the film popularises the work of Shivaji Maharaj and should be declared tax-free, which will make tickets cheaper.The film that had its theatrical release on May 1, boasts an ensemble cast, including Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Vidya Balan, Bhagyashree, and Genelia Deshmukh in key roles. It also features Mahesh Manjrekar, Sachin Khedekar, Fardeen Khan, Jitendra Joshi, and Amole Gupte.
