Riteish Deshmukh, who is all set to release his new historical action drama Raja Shivaji, has reportedly responded to the comments by Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, also known as Bageshwar Baba. The godman had made the statement about the Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaja’s legacy, and has since attracted criticism. The movie, in which Riteish plays the king, will be released on May 1. Dhirendra Krishna Shastri is a spiritual leader and the chief priest at Bageshwar Dham Temple, Madhya Pradesh.
What Riteish Deshmukh Said About Dhirendra Krishna Shastri Without Naming Bageshwar Baba
Riteish took to X, where he released a statement in Marathi, but did not name anyone, lambasting what he called misleading claims.
“When someone comes along and spews some distorted nonsense about our cherished deity, as a Shiv-premi and Shiv-bhakt, this is unacceptable and infuriating. Such futile attempts to belittle the legacy will not be tolerated at all,” he wrote.
कोणीतरी येतो आणि आपल्या आराध्य दैवताबद्दल काहीतरी विकृत बरळतो, एक शिवप्रेमी-शिवभक्त म्हणून हे अमान्य आणि संतापजनक आहे.
असले चौकटीत अडकवण्याचे फोल प्रयत्न काळाच्या उदरात गडप होतील. पण सह्याद्रीच्या पर्वतरांगा जशा लाखो वर्ष आधी होत्या तसंच ‘ते’ एकच नाव करोडो वर्ष भविष्यातही राहील.…— Riteish Deshmukh (@Riteishd) April 26, 2026
“But just as the mountain ranges of the Sahyadri have existed for millions of years before, so too will that one name endure for crores of years in the future. And that name is of the Kshatriya lineage, the Lord of the Throne, the Emperor of Emperors, Chhatrapati Maharaj,” Riteish added.
Riteish did not specifically name Shastri but his post has been taken as a reaction to the controversy.
What Did Bageshwar Baba Say About Maratha King Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaja Drawing Flak From Riteish Deshmukh?
The controversy was sparked when Dhirendra Krishna Shastri made statements during the foundation stone-laying ceremony of Bhardurga Shaktisthal in Nagpur. In his speech, Shastri recounted a story about Shivaji Maharaj’s war fatigue.
“Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj became very tired of fighting wars; he became exhausted. One day, he went to Ramdas Swami. He removed his crown and placed it down, saying, I am tired of fighting wars. You can take care of this crown, you can take care of this kingdom. I shall follow your orders. I cannot fight wars; I am very tired and I need rest. I would like to do nothing for some days, he said,” he said.
The controversy grew after Shastri said Shivaji Maharaj had given his crown to saint Samarth Ramdas, implying that he was tired of fighting wars.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat and others were present at the event in Nagpur. Political leaders from both sides of the aisle have reacted to the statements.
About Riteish Deshmukh’s Raja Shivaji
Raja Shivaji is a major historical drama produced by Jyoti Deshpande and Genelia Deshmukh under the aegis of Mumbai Film Company and presented by Jio Studios. It is based on the early life of Shivaji Maharaj, his pledge to bring about Swarajya and his struggle against the mighty emperors.
‘RAJA SHIVAJI’ TRAILER OUT NOW – 1 MAY 2026 RELEASE… Goosebumps guaranteed… #RajaShivajiTrailer has soul and scale… MAGNIFICENT.#JioStudios and #MumbaiFilmCompany unveil the trailer of #RajaShivaji, based on one of #India‘s greatest warrior kings.
HINDI 🔗:… pic.twitter.com/ylr715rqHx
— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) April 20, 2026
Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Vidya Balan, Bhagyashree, Mahesh Manjerakar and Boman Irani play prominent roles.
During the launch of the film’s trailer earlier this month, Riteish and Genelia Deshmukh were in tears talking about the project. Meanwhile, Riteish thanked Genelia for being supportive throughout his filmmaking career.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
