Love And War: Ranbir Kapoor On Collaborating With Sanjay Leela Bhansali After 17 Years: "He Is My Godfather"

Ranbir Kapoor is currently working on Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s upcoming film Love And War. This marks his second association with the director, 17 years after he made his debut in Saawariya. Speaking at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Ranbir shared his excitement about reuniting with the director. “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,” Ranbir said at the film festival. 

Taking a trip down memory lane, Ranbir looked back on the journey he had and how his bond with Sanjay Leela Bhansali has not changed over the years. “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,” Ranbir remarked. 

In his earlier interviews over the years, Ranbir spoke about the challenges of being an actor on a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film set. On numerous occasions, the Animal actor also revealed that he was yelled at by the director, post which they never worked together again. However, Ranbir has always appreciated the director’s vision and dedication to his craft. 

Love And War also stars Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal in leading roles. It is a story of love and patriotism where Alia plays a cabaret dancer and Ranbir and Vicky portray officers of the Indian Armed Forces. The shoot for the film has begun and Ranbir and Vicky are filming in Bikaner’s Air Base Force. Alia Bhatt, who is currently working on her upcoming YRF movie Alpha with Sharvari, will join the shoot in December. There were also recent reports that Shah Rukh Khan might join the cast for a cameo role with Ranbir in the second half, adding to the anticipation around the film.