Sanjay Leela Bhansali locked in the release timeline for his upcoming epic Love & War. The production team plans to unveil the official first look just before Diwali. And the theatrical premiere is firmly scheduled for Thursday, January 21, 2027. That date anchors India’s Republic Day weekend. Distributors want to hit a global audience immediately—they set a multi-language rollout across Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu markets.
At the center of the story sits a high-profile love triangle. Ranbir Kapoor and Vicky Kaushal portray army officers. Alia Bhatt plays the woman caught between the two soldiers she cares for. She recently shot a major wedding sequence with Kapoor in Mumbai. Now she’s only got the climax sequence left to shoot. The studio is keeping the supporting cast under strict secrecy. Executives are actively urging audiences to ignore the leaked character images they are constantly dealing with.
Principal photography began back in November 2024. But production faced repeated delays. Bhansali ultimately extended the shooting schedule to May 2026. The change completely erased the original Eid target dates. Schedules fell apart. It disrupted an already packed calendar—one that includes the Khosla Ka Ghosla 2 sequel. Lead actors had to block their calendars and push back prior commitments. So the constant schedule changes directly inflated production budgets.
Extended Shoot Causes Ramayana Conflicts
The prolonged Love & War schedule created friction across the Mumbai film industry. Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana production team found themselves entirely disappointed. That massive project also targets a major Diwali release. It heavily features Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram. Executives wanted at least a six-month gap between the Kapoor-led releases. But Bhansali’s shifting timeline means they can’t plan for the breathing room they asked for.