In what marks a striking production shift for one of Bollywood’s most ambitious projects, director Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love & War has re-mapped its shooting strategy. Although earlier reports noted that the film’s international schedule in Italy had been cancelled, insiders clarify that the shoot was not cancelled, but rather reshaped to accommodate actor schedules with about ten days of filming in Mumbai and the grand finale now set to be shot in Italy by December 2025. According to well-placed industry sources, “Sanjay Leela Bhansali recreated 1970s Italy right here in Mumbai for Love & War. Around ten days of shoot were completed before Diwali, and the final 20-day schedule, featuring the film’s grand climax, is expected to take place by December 2025 in Italy. The team is eyeing an Eid 2026 release.”Initial reports suggested a full cancellation of the Italy schedule due to logistical complexities. But the revised strategy shows a different picture: those Italy-bound scenes began in Mumbai, with extensive sets recreating 1970s Italian landscapes in the city. After completing the first phase, the production will now move to Italy for the final climax preserving the intended locale while accommodating the actors’ availability. This two-pronged strategy offers multiple gains. Mumbai filming minimised schedule clashes and logistical overheads at a time when international travel is more complex. Then, the Italy segment will provide the scale, authenticity, and grandeur that Bhansali’s canvases are known for comfortable for an Eid 2026 release, as the source indicates. With major stars on board including Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal the complex shoot was always under scrutiny. The film had originally planned a 45-day schedule in Italy, but revision was flagged when the location proved logistically complex. Now, the creative team seems to be walking a smart middle path anchoring early filming in Mumbai, then scaling up the international component when the actors’ calendars align. The shift also suggests Bhansali’s commitment to delivering the opulence and atmosphere his films are famed for by actually going to the location for the climax, instead of fully settling into interior sets in Mumbai. The upcoming Italy schedule is pegged at around 20 days, and its completion will likely set the stage for post-production to begin in earnest. With an Eid 2026 release targeted, the timeline aims for a grand festive launch. Whether the film retains all its intended visual scale remains to be seen but with Bhansali at the helm, expectations are high. Also Read: Two of my favourite actors: Ranbir Kapoor talks working with Vicky Kaushal and Alia Bhatt in Bhansali’s Love & War.
