Producer Bhushan Kumar and T-Series have boarded The Pride of Bharat: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, a two-part historical epic starring Rishab Shetty. The project is in pre-production and is scheduled to go on floors in early 2027, with an ensemble cast and creative talent from India and overseas still being assembled.
The partnership was marked by a symbolic gesture: Kumar presented Shetty with a century-old painting of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, framed by the team as a reminder of the reverence and responsibility behind the subject.
What T-Series is backing
The film is presented by Gulshan Kumar and T-Series Films and produced as a T-Series Films and Legend Studios production. Bhushan Kumar and Krishan Kumar are producers, while Sandeep Singh directs and co-writes with Rishi Virmani. Rishab Shetty, Shiv Chanana and Kabiir Sadanand are attached as co-producers.
- Format: two-part theatrical saga on the Maratha king
- Director: Sandeep Singh
- Writers: Sandeep Singh and Rishi Virmani
- Producers: Bhushan Kumar and Krishan Kumar
- Co-producers: Rishab Shetty, Shiv Chanana and Kabiir Sadanand
- Status: pre-production; shoot planned for early 2027
The strategic read
For distribution and brand teams, this is not a routine production note. T-Series is putting its distribution and music scale behind a two-part theatrical saga, a format that creates two potential release moments and a longer campaign runway. The flip side is that the first instalment carries the franchise; the second instalment inherits whatever momentum the first one builds or loses.
Rishab Shetty’s presence as both lead and co-producer is the quiet commercial signal. It ties the actor’s interest to the project’s performance beyond the acting fee, which suggests the team is treating this as a franchise bet rather than a one-off period drama.
What the film is promising
The narrative will cover defining battles, landmark victories, sacrifices and lesser-known chapters from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s journey. The makers are positioning it around military strategy, leadership, political vision and the idea of Swarajya.
Bhushan Kumar framed the project as a responsibility, saying he felt “a deep sense of responsibility to bring this extraordinary story to the big screen.” He added: “For T-Series, this is more than a film; it is a tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his timeless legacy.”
What comes next
No release date or full cast list has been announced yet. The next hard signal will be casting and crew updates as production approaches. For media planners, exhibitors and brand teams, the key question is whether the two-part structure produces two genuine event windows or simply stretches one story across two release cycles.
Source: bollywoodHungama.com
