Following the massive theatrical release of Raja Shivaji, actor Abhishek Bachchan has come out in strong defense of the film’s visual effects. Despite the film breaking records as the most expensive Marathi production ever made with a budget of ₹75–100 crore, it has faced some social media backlash for its VFX quality when compared to global blockbusters.
Abhishek, who portrays Sambhaji Shahaji Bhosale in the film, argued that comparing Indian regional cinema to Hollywood is fundamentally unfair due to the staggering disparity in financial resources.
The Math of Visual Effects
Speaking on the technical challenges, Bachchan emphasized that VFX is a direct product of time and capital. “The more money you can pile into your VFX, the better the quality,” he noted.
He pointed out that major Hollywood studios often spend upwards of ₹5,000 crore solely on visual effects a figure that dwarfs the total production cost of even the largest Indian “Pan-India” films. According to Abhishek, Indian filmmakers often operate at barely one percent of the VFX budgets seen in the West, making it a feat of engineering to deliver a “magnum opus” scale within domestic constraints.
A Tight Budget and Great Vision
Bachchan lauded Riteish Deshmukh, who served as both the lead actor and director, for his ability to tell an emotional and historical epic without “burdening” the film with unsustainable costs.
He explained that while the team could deliver “brilliant” products if given ten years and a thousand crore, the Indian market cannot realistically support such investments for a regional film. “Checks and balances always happen,” Abhishek added, highlighting that a producer’s primary responsibility is to ensure the film remains financially viable while staying true to the story.
Focusing on the Emotional Core
Ultimately, Abhishek believes that while technical critiques may dominate online discourse during the release week, they are rarely what defines a film’s legacy. He stressed that Raja Shivaji was always intended to be an emotional journey about the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
“VFX criticism will eventually be forgotten,” he asserted, adding that the true measure of the film’s success is whether the makers achieved their goal of effectively conveying the historical narrative to the masses. With Salman Khan’s viral cameo and strong box office numbers, the answer, according to the actor, is a resounding yes.