Bhagyashree: ‘Riteish Came To Meet Me For Raja Shivaji, The Moment He Walked In, I Said Yes!’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Bhagyashree stepped into one of the most significant roles of her career with “Raja Shivaji,” where she plays Rajmata Jijabai, the mother of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. In a conversation with Variety India, she discusses giving her nod almost instantly to Riteish Deshmukh’s passion project, the weight of portraying a figure rooted in history and why the film chooses to focus on that aspect. intimacy over spectacle.

Play back the first moment when the film came to you.

“Raja Shivaji” is not just a film. It’s special for all of us because we are so rooted in our history. In school history books, we learned about the wars fought by Maratha warriors. Riteish called me and said he is making a film based on Shivaji Maharaj and that he wanted to meet me. The moment he walked in the door, I said, ‘Whatever it is, it’s yes.’ He insisted that I listen to the subject. So he sat down to narrate two scenes, but the intensity was so great that I couldn't stop listening and he couldn't stop narrating. We just sat there for four hours. Shivaji Raje is such a historic person in Indian history, that without him, it wouldn’t have been possible for us to stand up to the Mughals. He’s the one who embodied what Swaraj stood for and that is relevant even today.  

Playing Rajmata Jijabai brings along a huge responsibility. Where did that conviction to
take on the role come from?

Well, two points are very important here. First, I knew the role would carry enough weight and importance for Riteish to approach me. Secondly, women in those times, especially Maharashtrian women, held a status nearly equal to men. They were involved in the politics and everything happening around them. Rajmata Jijabai was the embodiment of that. Today’s women can look up to her as someone who can manage her household as well as her career. matters of the state. When we look at working women managing both roles, it doesn’t make you less of a woman, nor does it make you more of a man. It just brings out the strength of what a woman is capable of doing. So I think to be able to play someone like that, it was also a great time for me to grasp those qualities into my own being.  

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The film doesn’t just focus on battles but also on relationships, especially within the
family….

That’s exactly what Riteish had said. He told me, ‘I’m not making a war film or an action film. I’m making a film about a man who wanted his family to taste independence.’ That’s such a beautiful thought. Today, we celebrate being independent, but very few of us actually understand the relevance and the meaning of what real independence is.

When I was playing Rajmata Jijabai, I wondered what kind of strength mothers must have to see their children become soldiers, fight wars and know that they may not come back. What kind of strength they might have to be able to do that for the country. It’s such an overwhelming feeling. It humbles you and makes you realise that there are things of far more importance in our lives.

Was there a moment during the making of the film that stayed with you?

I think the scene one touched everyone was when Shivaji Raje brought the news of his brother Sambhaji Raje's death to his mother. That would be the hardest for any person, but he has to do it. Her reaction is one of pain, but she takes a stance for what needs to be done. She’s lost one son, and yet she tells the other one to go and finish the battle. Everyone on the set was just soaked in that emotion at that point. Even after the shot, we all sat there silently, understanding the depth of these characters. This also happens even today when jawans have lost their lives. I think that really stayed with me.