Shivaji shines as mangapati in court’s big win

On 14 March 2025, actor Shivaji’s phone won’t stop buzzing—his role as Mangapati in Court is stealing hearts and headlines. The Telugu courtroom drama, backed by Natural Star Nani, hit screens Friday and is raking in cash, but it’s Shivaji’s turn as the fiery antagonist that’s got everyone talking. “This is bigger than I ever imagined,” he told the press, his voice thick with 25 years of dreaming finally cracking open.

He’s not wrong—X posts are calling his work a match for Bobby Deol’s Animal menace, a nod that’s got him beaming. “I came to be an actor like SV Rangarao, not just a hero,” Shivaji said, thanking Nani, producers Deepthi Ganta and Prashanti Tirpineni, and director Ram Jagadeesh for handing him Mangapati—a role he sank into like it was his own skin. The character’s wild edges, he says, mirror folks pushed to the brink, and he loved every layered second of it.

Court’s a box office blaze, with Holi weekend crowds flocking, but Shivaji’s the spark lighting up the chatter. He’s grateful—eyes on the audience showering him with praise, mind already racing to more roles like this. Could this be his breakout, a late bloom after decades in the game? The applause is loud, and he’s not done yet.