Bhumi Pednekar Joins Rishab Shetty For 'The Pride of Bharat: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj'

The team of filmmaker Sandeep Singh's two-part saga, The Pride of Bharat: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, has onboarded a new cast member: Bhumi Pednekar. According to the makers, Pednekar will star as Belawadi Mallamma, the valiant warrior queen remembered for her courage and unfaltering spirit.

The film features Rishab Shetty as the warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, alongside Arjun Rampal and Vivek Oberoi in prominent roles.

Pednekar expressed her excitement about the joining the magnum-opus, saying, "I'm deeply honoured to be part of the first-ever Indian cinematic spectacle of this scale on the life and legacy of the great Maratha warrior-king, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. It’s a privilege for me to play Karnataka’s brave warrior queen Belawadi Mallamma and to bring her to life on screen."

"I am a huge Kantara fan, and the stunning performance by Rishab Shetty blew me away; hence, the moment Sandeep narrated the film, the actor in me instantly said yes. This is unlike anything I've done before, and I'm grateful to the makers for seeing me in a completely new light," she added.

Mounted as one of the biggest pan-India films on the Maratha warrior king, The Pride Of Bharat: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is expected to go on floors later this year, with extensive pre-production already underway.

Earlier this month, the makers of the film also announced Amit Trivedi's onboarding as the composer, shortly after music composer Pritam revealed his decision to take a pause from mainstream music. The film is penned by Rishi Virmani, with lyrics by National Award-winning lyricist Prasoon Joshi.

Pednekar was most recently seen in the crime thriller Daldal. Next, she is also set to star as a lawyer in Arif Sheikh's untitled courtroom drama.