Veteran actor and filmmaker Amole Gupte has showered praise on Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia D’Souza’s sons, Riaan and Rahyl, who recently made their acting debut in the Marathi historical drama Raja Shivaji.
Speaking about his experience working with the young actors, Gupte described them as “cultured, rooted and disciplined,” while sharing several heartwarming moments from the sets. The filmmaker, fondly called “Froggie Uncle” by children, revealed that his bond with the boys developed naturally over conversations, snacks and informal interactions rather than formal acting workshops.
“With Rahyl and Riaan, our special bond was a cute shock for me after so many years. A special bond over jilbi and samosa,” Gupte shared while recalling their fun moments together.
According to Gupte, the children impressed him not just with their enthusiasm but also with their grounding in culture and traditions. He mentioned that both boys knew Ganpati Aarti, shlokas and various devotional mantras, reflecting the values taught by their parents.
“They are so cultured, the two boys. There is a certain amount of rootedness in Genelia and Riteish’s boys, which is amazing,” he said.
The actor further explained that their sessions together were less about rehearsals and more about creating a comfortable environment for the children to open up. “We were not working. We were just having a picnic in my office,” he said, adding that the children often looked forward to eating “jilbi” and samosas during their visits.
Gupte also revealed how Riteish Deshmukh personally approached him regarding the film. What initially started as a casual interaction with the children eventually turned into an offer to play Mohammed Adil Shah in Raja Shivaji.
The film, directed and co-written by Riteish Deshmukh, sees the actor portraying Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. His sons Riaan and Rahyl essay the younger versions of Shivaji Maharaj at different stages of life.
Raja Shivaji has generated strong interest among audiences for its grand storytelling, historical backdrop and the emotional involvement of the Deshmukh family both on and off-screen.
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