Ranbir Kapoor calls Sanjay Leela Bhansali his ‘godfather’; opens up about reuniting for Love and War 17 years after Saawariya

Ranbir Kapoor made his acting debut in Saawariya by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. And he is set to star alongside Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal in the much-anticipated film Love & War. The epic saga directed by Bhansali is generating significant excitement, particularly due to its impressive cast.

Ranbir Kapoor calls Sanjay Leela Bhansali his ‘godfather’

At the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa, Ranbir Kapoor expressed his enthusiasm for collaborating with the esteemed director, Sanjay Leela Bhansali once more, as reported by The Indian Express. During a stage interaction, Ranbir stated, “I am extremely excited. He is my godfather. Everything I know about films, everything I know about acting, it is something I learnt from him.”

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This isn’t the first time Ranbir has worked with Bhansali; he was an assistant director on the 2005 film Black before making his acting debut in Saawariya in 2007. He added, “He hasn’t changed at all. He is extremely hard-working. All he thinks about is his movies. He just wants to speak about the character, he wants you to create, do something different.”

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Love & War was officially announced in January 2024. An Instagram post declaring, “We Bring You Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Epic Saga Love & War. See You At The Movies Christmas 2025.” The announcement also featured the lead trio: Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal.

Additionally, this film marks Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s second collaboration with Alia Bhatt. It has followed her acclaimed performance in 2022’s Gangubai Kathiawadi. For the film, Alia won the National Award for Best Actress.

Ranbir Kapoor’s upcoming projects

Ranbir was last seen in Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal, with a sequel already in development. He is also currently filming Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana, which features Sai Pallavi and Yash.

Also Read: Ranbir Kapoor opens up about doing Raj Kapoor’s biopic at IFFI 2024; says, “I talk to lot of people, including Sanjay Leela Bhansali”