Akshay to play Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 'Veer Daudale Saat'
Akshay Kumar's chock-a-block calendar just got even busier! The actor—who had five releases in 2022 and already has numerous movies in the pipeline—has been roped in to play Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Veer Daudale Saat. The film will be helmed by actor-director Mahesh Manjrekar and is set for a Diwali release next year. As things stand currently, it'll clash with Salman Khan's Tiger 3.
Why does this story matter?
Kumar will likely have a busy 2023, with Selfiee, Capsule Gill, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Jolly LLB 3, and now Veer Daudale Saat tentatively planned for release. Moreover, the last time Kumar appeared in a period drama, in and as Samrat Prithviraj, he received a tepid response. Hence, it remains to be seen if Veer Daudale Saat can turn the tide in his favor.
Salman Khan, Eknath Shinde were also present during launch event
The announcement was made during a grand event held in Mumbai on Wednesday (October 2). Apart from Kumar and Mahesh Manjrekar, the evening was graced by the who's who of Maharashtra, such as the Chief Minister of the state Eknath Shinde, and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief and founder Raj Thackeray. Manjrekar's close friend and megastar Salman Khan was also present during the muhurat shot.
This is the third consecutive Diwali release for Kumar
The movie is targeting a pan-Indian reach, and accordingly, will release in Marathi, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu. Vaseem Qureshi's Qureshi Productions is bankrolling the project. Interestingly, this is set to be Kumar's third consecutive Diwali release. In 2021, he had a Diwali blockbuster in the form of Rohit Shetty's cop film Sooryavanshi and followed it up this year with Abhishek Sharma's Ram Setu.
Makers also shared the first look
Take a deeper look at Kumar's 2023 calendar
Kumar is known for churning out three-four films a year, a feat unparalleled by any other A-lister. Possibly his first release of 2023, Raj Mehta's Selfiee will premiere on February 24, 2023. This will be followed by Capsule Gill, a biopic, and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, an actioner. He'll also be seen in Jolly LLB 3 and is also occupied with Soorarai Pottru's remake.
