Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal come together for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s most ambitious romantic drama yet; with a reported ₹350 crore production cost, expectations are already sky-high
If Ramayana is the undisputed giant of Indian cinema’s 2027 calendar, then Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love & War is arguably the next biggest Bollywood event waiting in the wings.
And now that the film has officially locked January 21, 2027 as its worldwide theatrical release, the countdown has truly begun.
₹350 CRORE – The Real Scale Of ‘Love & War’The budget of Love & War has itself become a talking point. Earlier reports suggested that the film’s cost had climbed to around ₹425 crore because of its extended production schedule.
However, KBP REVIEW reported in March that the actual production budget is around ₹350 crore, with another approximately ₹30 crore expected to be spent on marketing, taking the overall landing cost close to ₹380 crore. The report also stated that the production is proceeding as planned and that the ₹425 crore figure was not accurate.
That ₹350 crore production figure puts Love & War firmly into the territory of Bollywood’s biggest productions. More importantly, the money is reportedly not being spent purely on computer generated spectacle.
The film is understood to be set against the backdrop of war, with Ranbir Kapoor and Vicky Kaushal playing Air Force officers, while Alia Bhatt is at the emotional centre of the story. Details of the plot are being kept tightly under wraps but the combination of romance, duty and conflict gives Bhansali plenty of space to explore the emotional complexities he is known for.
That secrecy could actually work in the film’s favour.In an age where major movies often reveal their entire plot through teasers, trailers and social media promotions, Bhansali appears to be protecting the world of Love & War very carefully. Reports have even suggested that strict measures and NDAs have been used to prevent leaks from the production.
Ranbir and Vicky’s character reportedly belongs to the Air Force, and the physical transformation already undertaken for the role has generated considerable attention. Recent reports claimed that Vicky underwent a significant body transformation for the film, underlining the level of preparation expected from the principal cast.
There is an important distinction between being an expensive film and being an expensive film that actually looks expensive.Bhansali has historically understood the difference.His films are built around scale – enormous sets, costumes, choreography, music, period recreation and carefully controlled visual compositions. Love & War appears to be taking that philosophy into an even larger arena by adding war and aerial elements to the equation.
The delays may have frustrated audiences but there is another way to look at them, if the team genuinely needs additional time to finish the visual effects and large-scale sequences properly, rushing the film would be far more damaging than postponing it.
Love & War was initially expected much earlier, but its release went through multiple changes before the makers finally announced January 21, 2027.The wait is now officially over. Bhansali Productions confirmed the January 21 release, with the film scheduled to arrive in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.
Interestingly, the January release also gives the film breathing space from the enormous Ramayana campaign later in 2027.That spacing could be particularly useful for Ranbir Kapoor, who will have Ramayana: Part 1 arriving before Love & War. Rather than putting two major Ranbir films too close together, the makers can allow each project to create its own theatrical identity.
ALSO READ: ‘Ramayana’ Raises The Bar For Indian Cinema – While Love & War may be one of Bollywood’s biggest films of 2027, Ramayana is operating on an entirely different scale.
The two-part epic starring Ranbir Kapoor, Yash, Sai Pallavi and Sunny Deol reportedly carries a combined production budget of around ₹4,000 crore, with Yash recently explaining that the figure covers both films and reflects the project’s global business ambitions.
The project has also created major business milestones before release. Its music rights were recently reported to have been sold for ₹75 crore, described as the biggest audio deal for a Hindi film.
The film’s first part is scheduled for a 2026 release, while the second instalment is expected in 2027. That makes the latter year particularly important for Ranbir Kapoor, who could potentially have two massive films defining his theatrical run across consecutive years.
[ BOX OFFICE ]: ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Box Office: ₹471.68 Crore; ₹500 Crore Is Now Within Reach
[ EXCLUSIVE ]: ‘Toxic’ Inside Reports: Yash Starrer Gets Bumper Response; Action & VFX Impress
