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Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Love & War becomes his most expensive film amid 225-day extended schedule?
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love & War budget hit ₹425cr due to filming delays. The epic stars Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal, eyeing an early 2027 release.
Feb 25, 2026
Sanjay Leela Bhansali with Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal
Despite its anticipated status as Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum opus, Love & War is far from complete. The filmmaker has reportedly added 50 more days to the filming schedule, bringing the total production cost to more than ₹400 crore, according to Variety India. With this new report, the filmmaker is reportedly working on the most ambitious theatrical release of his career thus far, surpassing even Padmaavat in terms of both technical and dramatic complexity.
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Why is Love & War's production timeline facing major extensions?
The original deadline for the Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, and Alia Bhatt film was 120 days, according to insiders in the business. On multiple occasions, though, schedules have been extended, in keeping with Bhansali's repute for accuracy. The unit has shot for approximately 175 days so far, and there are three songs and a big dramatic scene that are still in the works, which will add two more months to production. Everyone thinks the war scenes took longer than expected because of how massive and aesthetically ambitious they were. According to recent reports from the set, Bhansali has been putting in over 20 hours a day to direct the complex aerial action scenes and epic musical numbers that provide emotional support to the film.
"Bhansali strives for perfection and is not satisfied until every single frame matches his vision. That relentless commitment is what has made him the towering filmmaker he is today. But the repeated production extensions have ballooned the budget. Originally planned at ₹350 crore, the cost has now climbed to ₹425 crore, making it the most expensive Bhansali project to date," a source informed the entertainment portal.
How are lead actor fees being handled for Love & War?
The updated number does not include the fees of the major actors, who have chosen to be paid out of the theatrical receipts rather than upfront, thanks to backend profit-sharing deals. As a means of maintaining the project's viability throughout production, this funding approach is progressively prevalent for big-budget spectacles.
Although Bhansali has covered most of the costs for the film himself, a strategic alliance with Saregama India in late 2025 gave it a major boost. According to reports, Saregama put around ₹325 crore into Bhansali Productions to get equity and long-term music rights, which allowed them to fund their ambitious timeline. In spite of the increasing expenses, reports suggest that the filmmaker has managed to recoup over ₹200 crore through non-theatrical means. According to reports, Netflix paid over ₹130 crore for the streaming rights after the theatre run, and they made an extra ₹70 to 80 crore from the soundtrack and satellite rights.
Is the financial risk justified in today's market?
"Despite these healthy pre-recoveries, Love & War has gone significantly over budget, which is risky in today’s unpredictable theatrical market. But Bhansali has always been a risk-taker, and the success of his earlier large-scale films has often justified that gamble," the insider continued.
Taking place during a time of conflict, Love & War pits the characters played by Kapoor and Kaushal against each other in a heated competition for the love of Bhatt's character. This film, which features a reunion between Bhansali and Bhatt, continues their fruitful partnership after Gangubai Kathiawadi and marks their second collaboration since Kapoor's Saawariya debut almost twenty years ago. Reports in the media have speculated that Raj Kapoor's 1964 masterpiece Sangam served as inspiration for the film, but Bhansali has vehemently rejected any such link.
When can audience expect the theatrical release?
The film will not be released at the same time as Ranbir Kapoor's Ramayana: Part One or any other major release, which will assist in guaranteeing that each of these high-profile projects gets enough market attention. The current projected date for the theatrical release of Love & War is early 2027.
Love & War FAQs:
Q: What is the release date of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love & War?
A: Following recent production extensions, Love & War is now targeting an early 2027 theatrical release. Originally slated for Christmas 2025 and later August 2026, the film’s timeline has shifted to accommodate its massive scale and ensure it doesn't clash with Ranbir Kapoor's other major project, Ramayana: Part One (Diwali 2026).
Q: What is the total budget of Love & War?
A: The production budget for Love & War has reportedly escalated to ₹425 crore, making it the most expensive film of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's career. This figure covers the intensive production and grand musical numbers but notably excludes the lead actors' fees, as Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal have opted for backend profit-sharing deals.
Q: Who is in the cast of Love & War?
A: Love & War features a "casting coup" of three of Bollywood's biggest stars: Ranbir Kapoor (reunited with SLB 20 years after his debut in Saawariya), Alia Bhatt (following her success in SLB's Gangubai Kathiawadi), and Vicky Kaushal (marking his first collaboration with the director).
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