Riteish Deshmukh opens up on backing upcoming Shivaji trilogy: 'Wanted to make this film for a long time'

Actor Riteish Deshmukh is excited to start shooting for his passion project on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and says the team is working hard. The multilingual trilogy will be helmed by Sairat director Nagraj Manjule and backed by Deshmukh’s production banner- Mumbai Film Company. [caption id=“attachment_4197457” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Chhatrapati Shivaji (left); Riteish Deshmukh (right). Images via Facebook[/caption] When asked if he feels the film will get a boost because of the recent success of the historical Tanhaji, the actor-producer said when any film works, it’s an encouraging sign that people are experiencing movies on the big screen. “I’ve been wanting to make this film for a long time. I’m extremely excited to collaborate with Nagraj, who is one of the finest directors that we have in the country. As far as the success of Tanhaji or the success of any film is concerned, I feel it definitely adds to other films because it gives a boost to historical films or films in general for people to go to the theatre and come and experience it on the big screen. We are working hard. Hopefully it’ll be on floors (soon),” Deshmukh said in a group interview. The actor, who was last seen in Marjaavan, will next feature in Ahmed Khan’s action film  Baaghi 3 . The film also stars Tiger Shroff, Shraddha Kapoor, Ankita Lokhande and will release on 6 March. Manjule’s is soon his Bollywood directorial debut with _J_ _hund_  starring megastar Amitabh Bachchan. The movie  is based on the life of Vijay Barse, a Nagpur-based retired sports professor, who pioneered the international phenomenon of ‘Jhoparpatti football’ (slum football) and will release on 8 May. (With inputs from Press Trust of India)