Raja Shivaji Movie Review | Massive Disappointment or Hidden Masterpiece?

Added: 2026-05-14

[00:00:00]A film about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj should leave you inspired, odd and emotionally shaken. But Raja Shivaji leaves you with something else entirely.

[00:00:11]Frustration. Because beneath all the massive sets, loud background music and slow motion hero shots lies a film that never truly captures the soul of the man it is celebrating. In this review, we'll break down why Raja Shivaji feels more like an imitation of modern historical epics rather than its own film, what actually works despite the flaws, and why the movie ultimately collapses under weak execution. The expectations from this film were huge. A historical epic mounted on a massive budget centered around one of the greatest warriors and leaders in Indian history. And honestly, the teaser and trailer themselves didn't inspire much confidence. But you still hope that the film would surprise you because stories like Shivaji Maharaj's don't need artificial elevation. The history itself is already cinematic.

[00:01:06]Directed with clear ambition and backed by strong musical team like Ajay Atul, Raja Shivaji tries to combine emotion, politics, warfare and heroism into one grand spectacle. The problem is ambition alone is not enough. The film follows the journey of Shivaji Maharaj from his birth all the way to the historical battle of Prattabgur against Aasal Khan.

[00:01:31]The narrative focuses heavily on the rise of Marata resistance, political conspiracies, strategic warfare and Shivaji's transformation into a legendary leader. At its core, this should have been a deeply emotional and politically gripping story. And to be fair, there are moments where the film genuinely works, especially during the political portions and tactical discussions. The Jawi ambush sequence, for example, is one of the few stretches where the movie actually feels tense and alive. Let's see what works in the movie. First is Ajayatul's music. The biggest strength of the film is undoubtedly the music and its background score. Tracks like Jai Shivaraj and Raja Shivaji Anthem genuinely elevate several scenes. The background score inject scale, urgency and emotional energy that the visual themselves often fail to create. Second is the political drama.

[00:02:29]The political side of the story is handled surprisingly well. The courtroom conversations, strategic planning, and ideological conflicts give the narrative some weight. These portions feel more authentic than the actionheavy spectacle. And finally, there are some competent sequences like the Javi ambush sequence that stands out because it finally feels focused. The tension works, the staging is decent, and for a brief moment, you see the film this could have been. Now, let's see what doesn't work. First is the poor CGI and VFX. For a film reportedly made on a massive budget, the visual effects are shockingly weak. The CGI animals look unfinished. The exterior landscapes feel artificial and many large scale battle shots lack realism. Instead of immersion, the visuals constantly break the illusion. Secondly is the weak action choreography. The action scenes are another major problem. There is no proper rhythm, tension or storytelling within the fights and the shaky camera work often feels like an attempt to hide limitations rather than create intensity. And next is Ritesh Deshmuk's performance. This is where the film struggles the most. Resh Deshmuk brings the aura but not the personality. He looks like Shivarji Maharaj in certain shots but rarely feels like him emotionally. The emotional scenes feel forced and the big speeches which should have been the goosebumps inducing moments fall completely flat. And next is the supporting cast problems. Vidya Balan is effective and dignified in her role. But actress like Abhishek Bachan and Sanjay Dut are severely wasted.

[00:04:13]Especially Sanjay Dutat who once again delivers the same lazy performance style we have seen repeatedly in recent years.

[00:04:21]And finally the choppy editing. The editing is inconsistent throughout the film. Several scenes abruptly jump in tone and momentum making the emotional flow feel disjointed. So finally Raja Shivaji is a film with enormous ambition. But ambition without emotional honesty means very little. It has strong music, decent political writing, and flashes of a genuinely powerful historical drama, but weak CGI, underwhelming performances, and lifeless action stop it from becoming the epic it desperately wants to be. This is not a terrible film, but for a story this legendary, average simply isn't enough.

[00:05:03]So, what did you think about Rajasia?

[00:05:06]Did the film work for you emotionally or did it feel like style overpowering substance? Let me know in the comments below. Because when you make a film on a legend like Shivaji Maharaj, the audience expects more than spectacle.

[00:05:20]They expect greatness. If you enjoy such movie breakdowns like this, like, share and subscribe to Film Relic. Until next time, stay curious, stay cinematic.