Love and War: Sanjay Leela Bhansali's next to star Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal
Love and War, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Vicky KaushalInstagram

After almost 17 years, Ranbir Kapoor is all set to reunite with his debut director Sanjay Leela Bhansali for the epic Love and War. According to reports, the actor has reportedly established a set of "terms and conditions" in his contract before signing the dotted lines. This strategic move follows Ranbir's earlier revelations about his experiences as an assistant director on Bhansali's National Award-winning feature, Black, where he detailed instances of being made to kneel for hours, subjected to physical reprimands, and verbal abuse. In 2021, Ranbir Kapoor candidly reminisced about his time as an assistant to Bhansali, revealing the challenging treatment he endured during the making of Black. Despite the hardships, Ranbir acknowledged that such experiences had toughened him and prepared him for the challenges of the entertainment industry.

In the context of the new film Love and War, where Ranbir will share the screen with his wife Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal, the actor has allegedly included strict directives in his contract to ensure a "civil shooting environment." According to a report on a leading entertainment website, Ranbir's stipulations encompass maintaining proper discipline on set and adherence to specified timelines for the shoot.

Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor at filmfare awards red carpet
Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor at filmfare awards red carpetInstagram

The report outlines that Ranbir has urged Bhansali to start the film in November and conclude it by July 2025, as the actor has commitments lined up from August 2025 onward. This condition is aimed at avoiding the erratic work timing experienced during Sawaariya in the past. Another condition emphasizes fixed working hours to prevent a repeat of similar scheduling issues in 2024. The final condition focuses on maintaining discipline across all departments during the film's production.

Interestingly, the report suggests that Alia Bhatt, who previously collaborated with Bhansali on Gangubai Kathiawadi, played a key role in resolving any existing issues between Ranbir and the director. She encouraged both parties to openly discuss and finalize the terms and conditions during a meeting. Post Love And War, Ranbir will begin the much-awaited Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayan. The film is made into a trilogy with Ramayan Part One introducing the characters of Ram and Sita. It is reported that Hanuman and Raavan will only have a short appearance in the first part. The realm of Ramayana has been crafted by the Oscar-winning VFX company, DNEG, which is also overseeing the production of this epic. The creators aim to introduce innovative filmmaking technology with Ramayana, and the entire test run of the shoot has been conducted on multiple occasions.

Then, Ranbir also has Animal Park, the much-hyped sequel of Animal directed by Sandeep Vanga Reddy. Discussing Animal Park in a recent interview, he said that he already has a couple of scenes prepared that are truly thrilling. However, given the success of the first part, it seems he now possesses the confidence and boldness to delve into even deeper, darker, and more complex themes. Sandeep Reddy is unafraid to push boundaries.