Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 2 (ANI): Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has reacted to the strong response to the historical drama 'Raja Shivaji,' which is directed by and stars Riteish Deshmukh.

The film released in theatres on May 1, 2026, and has been receiving a solid response from audiences in both Hindi and Marathi.

As the film continues to draw crowds, Ram Gopal Varma took to social media to praise the team. Congratulating Riteish and Genelia Deshmukh, who also stars in the film and is one of its producers, Varma shared a strong message about the film's performance and Riteish's work.

Sharing his excitement about the film's success and Riteish's dual role as actor and director, Ram Gopal Varma wrote, 'Hey @geneliad, CONGRATS on the way your #RajaShivaji is both SLASHING and SMASHING the BOXOFFICE. @Riteishd both as DIRECTOR and ACTOR is creating MAYHEM in the THEATRES and he literally looks #ShivajiMaharaj REINCARNATED.'

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Earlier in the day, Riteish Deshmukh also spoke to fans after seeing the response in theatres. Thanking audiences for their love, he shared a video message and made a simple request to protect the film's experience for others.

In his message, the actor urged fans not to record or upload scenes from theatres, especially key moments that could spoil the story. However, he said that viewers can still share photos or stills, as long as they do not reveal important parts of the film. Along with the video, he also shared a caption in Marathi that translates to, 'A humble request: Please do not upload videos on social media while watching the movie.'

The film, which hit theatres on Friday, May 2, also stars Abhishek Bachchan, Genelia Deshmukh, Sanjay Dutt, Mahesh Manjrekar, Sachin Khedekar, Bhagyashree, Fardeen Khan, Jitendra Joshi and Amole Gupte. One of the highlights for many viewers has been Salman Khan's special appearance, which has been receiving strong reactions in theatres. The film also marks the acting debut of Riteish and Genelia's son, Rahyl. (ANI)