Abhijeet Deshpande's Har Har Mahadev to arrive in theatres on Diwali 2022

Filmmaker Abhijeet Deshpande's Har Har Mahadev is slated to be released on the Diwali weekend this year.

The film, which is produced by Zee Studios and Shree Ganesh Marketing & Films, will tell the story of the founding of the Maratha empire in the 17th century by the warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji.

The teaser for the film was launched on Friday, and features a voiceover by politician Raj Thackeray, who heads the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), a political party in Maharashtra.

Deshpande has earlier helmed the critically acclaimed Aani... Dr Kashinath Ghanekar (2018) and also been part of the writing teams of Class Of 83 (2020) and Illegal (Season 2) (2021).

The voiceover by Thackeray states that the story is from a time when Marathi-speakers had no voice.

Incidentally, Deshpande was expected to direct another film on Maratha history titled Paavan Khind, which has since been put on the backburner.

Incidentally, Har Har Mahadev is one of several films on the Maratha king's life and times. Actor Riteish Deshmukh had signed on with director Nagraj Manjule for a three-part film franchise set in the same period. Director Digpal Lanjekar has also announced his Sher Shivraj Hai, based on the life and times of the young Shivaji, this year.

Har Har Mahadev is set to clash with the Akshay Kumar-led Ram Setu. The makers are yet to reveal any details about the cast of the film.