Shiv Thakare to Make Marathi Film Debut with Gangster-Politician Drama 'Raktneeti'

Shiv Thakare, winner of Bigg Boss Marathi 2 and a familiar face on Hindi reality television, is set to make his big-screen acting debut. He will headline the upcoming Marathi film Raktneeti, directed by Prradip Khairwar.

Thakare, who gained popularity through shows like Bigg Boss 16, Khatron Ke Khiladi 13, and Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 11, will be seen in a completely new avatar. According to the film's team, he plays a college student whose life is upended by a devastating event, pulling him into the world of crime and eventually politics. The character undergoes a dark transformation as he navigates power, betrayal, revenge, and ambition.

The film's narrative is said to have tonal similarities to Vivek Oberoi's character in Ram Gopal Varma's Rakta Charitra, though it maintains its own story and setting. Raktneeti marks the Marathi directorial debut for Khairwar, who has spent nearly two decades in Hindi cinema, closely associated with Varma on projects such as Rakta Charitra, Killing Veerappan, The Attacks of 26/11, and Sarkar 3. His previous directorial work includes the film Aayushmati Geeta Matric Pass and several short films and music videos.

The screenplay is written by Prashant Pandey, known for writing Rakta Charitra. Produced by Khairwar and Shefali Singh Rajput under the Good Idea Films banner, Raktneeti is planned as a raw, intense, larger-than-life Marathi entertainer. The project was recently announced at Mumbai's Siddhivinayak Temple, with shooting expected to begin around November-December 2026.