Mumbai, April 30 -- For most of his career, Riteish Deshmukh has lived with a contradiction, everyone knew he was talented, but not everyone believed he would choose the kind of films that could truly redefine him.

He arrived in Hindi cinema as the charming reliable entertainer. He became the face of big blockbuster franchises, the actor who could steal scenes with timing and ease, whether in Masti, Housefull, Dhamaal or countless commercial entertainers. He was liked, successful and consistently visible. But prestige and legacy are different things.

Over the last ten years, Riteish has been building toward something bigger.

A trade insider says, "His journey began with Marathi cinema. In 2014, Lai Bhaari changed how audiences looked a...