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Mumbai: Riteish Deshmukh was honoured with the Maharashtra Gaurav Award at the Zee 24 Taas Maharashtra Gaurav Awards 2026 on May 26. The award was presented by Devendra Fadnavis in recognition of Riteish’s contributions to Indian cinema and his efforts to showcase Maharashtra’s culture, heritage and history through films.

The ceremony was attended by ministers, senior officials and several personalities from different sectors. The recognition marked another milestone in Riteish Deshmukh’s career spanning both Hindi and Marathi cinema.

Award carries emotional significance

The occasion held personal importance for Riteish Deshmukh as May 26 marks the birth anniversary of his late father Vilasrao Deshmukh.

Receiving the award on a date associated with his father’s memory added emotional significance to the recognition.

Vilasrao Deshmukh remained an influential political figure in Maharashtra and served as Chief Minister of the state during multiple terms.

The coincidence of the award date drew attention because of the connection between Riteish’s professional achievement and a meaningful family occasion.

Recognition for contribution to cinema and culture

The Maharashtra Gaurav Award recognised Riteish Deshmukh’s contributions across Hindi and Marathi cinema as well as his work in bringing stories connected with Maharashtra’s identity to audiences.

Over the years, the actor has built a presence across multiple genres and film industries while also moving into filmmaking and direction.

His projects have increasingly focused on regional stories and historical themes that connect with Maharashtra’s cultural heritage.

The recognition highlighted both his artistic work and his role in presenting local history to wider audiences.

Raja Shivaji records historic success

Riteish Deshmukh’s latest directorial project Raja Shivaji is currently running in theatres and has achieved major commercial success.

The film portrays the early life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and has reportedly become the first Marathi film to cross ₹100 crore at the national box office.

The achievement has made it the highest-grossing Marathi film so far, surpassing Sairat.

The performance of the film has been viewed as a significant development for Marathi cinema and the growing reach of regional productions.

Ensemble cast features prominent actors

The film features a large cast from both Hindi and Marathi film industries, including Salman Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Vidya Balan, Genelia Deshmukh, Bhagyashree, Fardeen Khan, Mahesh Manjrekar and Sachin Khedekar.

Riteish himself plays the role of the young Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the film.

Produced under Jio Studios and Mumbai Film Company, the film was released worldwide on May 1, 2026, in multiple languages including Marathi, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam.

Recognition adds to successful year

The Maharashtra Gaurav Award comes during a significant phase in Riteish Deshmukh’s career marked by commercial success and critical attention.

With Raja Shivaji achieving major milestones and the actor receiving recognition for promoting Maharashtra’s cultural identity, the honour adds another important chapter to his journey in cinema.