Overview
- Three studios announced on Friday that T‑Series has formally come on board as a producer for The Pride of Bharat – Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, marking the newest high‑profile backing for the project.
- The film has been expanded into a two‑part saga, with pre‑production under way and principal photography planned to start in early 2027.
- Sandeep Singh will direct a screenplay he co‑wrote with Rishi Virmani, and Rishab Shetty is attached as the lead actor and a co‑producer alongside Shiv Chanana and Kabiir Sadanand.
- Producers say the films will trace Shivaji’s military campaigns, leadership and vision of Swarajya, and they plan a large ensemble cast plus a creative team drawn from India and abroad.
- The pairing of Shetty — whose national profile rose after Kantara — with T‑Series’ financing and distribution reach positions the films as a major cultural tribute with potential for wide Indian and international release, a message underscored by the ceremonial presentation of a century‑old painting to Shetty.