Romantic war drama moves into post-production ahead of January 21, 2027 worldwide release

New Delhi: After nearly two years of intensive filming, multiple schedules, actor availability issues and the detailed demands of a Sanjay Leela Bhansali production, the team has finally completed shooting for Love & War. The much-awaited romantic war drama stars Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal. The film officially completed its principal photography in early September 2026.

The entire team marked the occasion with an emotional farewell. The wrap brings one major stage of the film to an end and now allows the makers to begin intensive post-production work before the film reaches theatres worldwide on January 21, 2027.

The team started shooting the film on November 7, 2024. Since its announcement, Love & War has remained one of the most closely watched projects in Hindi cinema. The makers initially planned to release the film during Christmas 2025, but they later pushed the release to 2026 and finally fixed January 2027, around the Republic Day weekend.

The completion of the shoot removes one of the biggest uncertainties around the project. Bhansali can now focus completely on editing, visual effects, sound design and the final finishing work that usually defines his films.

The Long Wait Ends: Principal Photography Completes After Multiple Schedules and Delays

Reports said the final shooting schedule began in August 2026. The team wanted to complete the remaining important sequences before the lead actors moved on to their other projects.

Ranbir Kapoor was preparing to focus on promotions for Ramayana: Part One, while Vicky Kaushal had Mahavatar lined up. Alia Bhatt had completed more of her portions earlier, but all three actors reunited for the final major stretches of the shoot.

The final schedules included elaborate song sequences and large-scale war scenes.

One of the most discussed sequences featured nearly 200 dancers. The team filmed the sequence on a specially built set in the Royal Palms area of Goregaon in Mumbai.

Earlier this year, exclusive photographs showed Alia and Vicky in their looks for the film. Alia wore a golden sequined mini skirt with red details and a retro style, while Vicky wore formal dark clothes. Later, photographers spotted Ranbir and Alia in no-makeup looks as they headed towards vanity vans during song shoots.

Leaked photographs from the production also showed Ranbir and Vicky wearing Air Force officer uniforms. These images further highlighted the film’s military setting.

Bhansali and the entire unit reportedly held an emotional farewell after the team completed the final shot.

The film now enters post-production. The makers have not released an official first look, teaser or trailer yet. They have maintained strict secrecy around the project throughout its production.

From Announcement to Wrap: The Journey of Bhansali’s Most Ambitious Project

Bhansali officially announced Love & War in early 2024 as his next directorial project after Gangubai Kathiawadi. Bhansali Productions is producing the film in association with Jio Studios.

From the beginning, the makers presented the film as a large-scale romantic drama set against the backdrop of war.

Bhansali has taken several responsibilities on the project. He has written, directed and produced the film, and he is also composing its music. This continues his hands-on approach across several creative departments.

Available credits list Huentsang Mohapatra as the cinematographer, while Bhansali himself is expected to handle the editing.

The production took much longer than the makers initially planned. The team originally expected to shoot for around 120 days, but Bhansali extended the schedule as he continued to refine several sequences.

The actors’ other professional commitments also interrupted the schedules. The large scale of the war scenes and musical sequences added further time to the production.

At one point in early 2026, reports suggested that the team had only around 10% of the shoot left. However, further delays pushed the final schedule into the second half of the year.

Earlier reports also discussed the possibility of filming some climax portions in Italy. However, the team shot most of the film in Mumbai, where elaborate period sets recreated the look of earlier decades.

The makers maintained strict secrecy during production. Crew members signed detailed non-disclosure agreements, while the team also restricted phone use on the sets to prevent leaks.

Despite these measures, some behind-the-scenes photographs and reports about the film’s retro 1960s-inspired costumes and military look reached the public. These glimpses only increased curiosity around the film.

What We Know About the Story: A Love Triangle Amid War

The makers have kept the official story details under tight wraps.

However, several reports have consistently described Love & War as a period romantic war drama built around a complicated love triangle.

Ranbir Kapoor and Vicky Kaushal reportedly play two strong-willed army or Air Force officers whose lives become connected to a woman played by Alia Bhatt.

The story will combine personal relationships with the larger setting of war. Bhansali can use this backdrop to explore themes such as duty, passion, sacrifice and emotional conflict.

These themes have appeared in some of Bhansali’s earlier films, including Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. However, Love & War will explore them on a much larger scale through its military setting and period elements.

Photographs from the sets suggest that the story takes place around the middle of the 20th century. Air Force uniforms and retro civilian clothing point towards a 1960s setting.

Bhansali has spoken about the opportunity to work with Ranbir again after 18 years. He also wants to explore Alia’s acting range further while collaborating with Vicky for the first time.

Bhansali has previously described Alia as the “chota-packet-bada-dhamaka girl”, highlighting his continued creative interest in the actor.

The makers have not officially confirmed the characters’ names or the specific historical war featured in the story.

Earlier draft credits have reportedly included supporting actors such as Muzammil Ibrahim, Orhan Awatramani and Raza Murad, among others. The makers are expected to clarify the final cast list closer to the release.

The Powerhouse Cast: First-Time Trio Under Bhansali’s Lens

The casting remains one of the biggest attractions of Love & War.

Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal will share the screen in the same film for the first time.

Their professional and personal connections have also increased interest in the project.

Ranbir and Alia are married and previously worked together in Brahmāstra. Alia and Vicky shared the screen in Raazi, while Ranbir and Vicky worked together in Sanju.

Ranbir will also return to a Bhansali production for the first time since his acting debut in Saawariya in 2007.

Alia will reunite with Bhansali after her National Award-winning performance in Gangubai Kathiawadi.

Vicky, meanwhile, will make his debut in a Bhansali film.

The combination of three of Hindi cinema’s biggest and most respected actors with a director known for emotional stories and visually grand filmmaking has kept expectations high despite the film’s long production period.

Reports have also said that the three lead actors agreed to backend profit-sharing deals instead of taking large upfront fees. This arrangement connects their earnings more closely to the film’s theatrical performance.

Production Scale, Budget Buzz and Behind-the-Scenes Challenges

The industry has described Love & War as one of Bhansali’s most expensive films.

Different reports have given different estimates for the budget. Some reports claimed that the production cost had crossed ₹400-425 crore, excluding the lead actors’ backend deals.

Other sources close to the production reportedly put the realistic production cost closer to ₹350 crore. According to those reports, the makers started with a lower budget and planned additional spending on marketing.

The team has largely relied on specially constructed sets and period recreations instead of extensive location shooting. The film does not depend heavily on visual effects in every scene, although the war sequences and aerial scenes will require considerable post-production work.

Bhansali has largely financed the project himself, with partners joining at later stages.

The film has also generated significant revenue from non-theatrical rights. Netflix reportedly acquired the streaming rights for a substantial amount, while music and satellite rights have also contributed to the film’s pre-release earnings.

These deals have given the production a financial cushion before its theatrical release.

The long production schedule and actor availability created major challenges. A reported on-set incident involving a worker also attracted attention from industry associations.

Throughout the production, Bhansali continued to follow his well-known approach to filmmaking. He focused heavily on perfection, long takes, elaborate choreography and detailed production design.

Release Strategy, Languages and What Comes Next in Post-Production

The makers have scheduled *Love & War* for worldwide theatrical release on January 21, 2027.

The release date gives the film a strong holiday window just before Republic Day.

The film will release in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, showing the makers’ plans to reach audiences across India.

The release timing also places the film after Ranbir Kapoor’s Ramayana: Part One, which is expected to arrive in late 2026. This helps the actor avoid a direct clash between two major films featuring him.

With filming complete, the makers will now concentrate on post-production.

The team will work on editing, visual effects for war and action sequences, sound design, colour grading and the final integration of the music.

Bhansali’s films usually require detailed finishing work, so the four-month-plus period before the release gives the team enough time to complete a project of this scale.

The makers are expected to increase the marketing campaign later in 2026. They will likely release the first looks, teaser and trailer at carefully selected stages to build anticipation.

Why This Film Matters: Expectations, Collaborations and Box-Office Stakes

Love & War brings together several major firsts and reunions.

The film features three leading actors of this generation under a director who has delivered both critically acclaimed and commercially successful romantic and period dramas.

Audiences are especially interested in seeing how Bhansali combines the emotional story of a love triangle with large-scale war scenes and elaborate musical sequences.

The makers’ strict secrecy has also increased curiosity. When they release the first official images or trailer, the film will likely become a major talking point.

For the Hindi film industry, Love & War also represents a major test for the big-budget, star-driven and director-led romantic drama.

The film will show whether this combination can still create the kind of major theatrical event that earlier generations of Hindi cinema regularly produced.

The backend deals, multi-language release and careful release planning also show that the makers have taken a calculated approach to increasing the film’s reach and potential returns.

Now that the team has moved from the demanding shooting phase to the detailed post-production stage, Love & War has become one of the biggest upcoming releases on the 2027 calendar.

Nearly two years after the cameras first started rolling, audiences now have a clear release date: January 21, 2027.

Until then, the combination of Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Vicky Kaushal and Sanjay Leela Bhansali will continue to generate the kind of curiosity that only a few films manage to maintain over such a long period.

The story of Love & War now goes beyond production updates. The makers must use the final post-production stage to shape the film into the grand and emotionally powerful spectacle they have spent nearly two years creating.