Sandeep Singh Sees Ranveer Singh As Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Madhuri Dixit As Jijabai In 'The Pride of Bharat'

New Delhi: In a historic move, producer-turned-director Sandeep Singh is set to bring the illustrious saga of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to the big screen with his upcoming directorial venture, "The Pride of Bharat - Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj." The historical epic aims to transcend regional boundaries, with plans for a multilingual release in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Marathi. Sandeep shared, "People don't know [enough] about Shivaji, even though they may have heard of him. This kind of historical drama needs a lot of research."

Sandeep's aspirations for the lead role in the biopic are nothing short of grandeur. Expressing unwavering confidence, he added, "My first choice would be Ranveer Singh as I have worked with him in Bajirao Mastani [2015] and Ram Leela [2013]. When nobody was ready to shave their head for Bajirao, he went ahead and did it. That is the dedication we require to play Shivaji Maharaj. There's nobody better than him to play Shivaji. He was born and brought up in Mumbai, and knows Marathi too." 

The director, who is fine-tuning the script, will approach the actor after he is ready. "I'll go to him only with a bound script. I'm sure Ranveer will say yes. Who will say no to play the legendary hero?"

Delving deeper into the narrative, Singh emphasizes the pivotal role of Jijabai, Shivaji's influential mother. Sandeep further shared, "The film, which will roll by the year-end, will shed light on her too. "I will ensure that every part of his life story is captured, including how he started going to war at the age of 13 and his sacrifices. If Sridevi was alive, I would've requested her to play Jijabai. But now, my ideal choice is Madhuri Dixit-Nene. She is a powerful actor with a strong persona and vast experience."

Sandeep's recently released 'Safed' continues to garner accolades for its unconventional storytelling while "Main Atal Hoon," vowed audiences with the enigmatic portrayal of the late national leader, Atal Bihari Vajpayee.