Sanjay Leela Bhansali is entrusting his new favourite, Alia Bhatt, with yet another fascinating character following her National Award-winning performance as a brothel queen in Gangubai Kathiawadi. Alia will play a jazz singer in the maverick filmmaker’s next epic saga, Love & War. 

“Love & War is a timeless story that delves into themes of love, loyalty, sacrifice, and the repercussions of relationship decisions. Ranbir Kapoor, Alia, and Vicky Kaushal play complex characters grappling with emotional turmoil while navigating their complicated circumstances. While the character details of the male leads are kept under wraps, Alia will be seen taking the mic to portray a jazz artist, and she's extremely excited to play such a character after crooning songs in her movies, Highway and Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania. Hers is an emotionally conflicted role and could very well become her most complex character in her filmography,” an industry source aware of the development exclusively told PeepingMoon.com.

Love & War pays an homage to Raj Kapoor’s classic love story, Sangam

The plot details of the project have been closely guarded, but it's believed to be a love triangle set against the backdrop of war. The film reportedly pays homage to Raj Kapoor's 1964 classic, Sangam, starring Kapoor, Vyjayanthimala, and Rajendra Kumar. Bhansali has already begun preparation and is eyeing kicking off the production around November–December to release the film on the Christmas weekend in 2025. He has set this intriguing tale of love in the city of Kolkata. 

Love & War adds another dimension to Alia Bhatt’s diverse filmography, which already boasts standout performances in films such as Highway, Udta Punjab, Dear Zindagi, Raazi, and Gangubai Kathiawadi. Up next, she plays a sister on a mission to protect her brother in Vasan Bala’s prison-break story, Jigra. She will then play a RAW agent in the first female spy film in Aditya Chopra’s star-studded YRF Spy Universe, boasting blockbusters such as Ek Tha Tiger, Tiger Zinda Hai, War, Pathaan, and Tiger 3. 

Meanwhile, Sanjay Leela Bhansali is currently awaiting the release of his maiden web series, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, set for global premiere on May 1. The magnum opus, starring Sonakshi Sinha, Manisha Koirala, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sharmin Segal, and Sanjeeda Sheikh, explores the stories of courtesans and the hidden cultural reality of Heeramandi, a dazzling district, during pre-independent India.