Ranbir Kapoor sits behind the wheel of a turquoise convertible, dressed for another era. At first glance, he looks entirely at ease. Then comes the unsettling detail: his left arm is bruised and covered in blood.
That contrast is at the heart of Ranbir’s first posters for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love & War. Released by Bhansali Productions on September 24, the images offer a stylish introduction to the film without explaining what has happened to his character. A day later, Alia Bhatt’s first look took the campaign in a very different direction.
The film, which also stars Vicky Kaushal, is scheduled to arrive in cinemas worldwide on January 21, 2027, in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.
Ranbir’s calm face, bloodied arm
Bhansali Productions unveiled two posters of Ranbir within hours of each other. In the vintage car setting, he wears round sunglasses and a pencil moustache, with his hair styled to match the retro mood. Old-fashioned architecture and cars add to the sense that the story belongs to another time.
Yet his wounded arm changes the mood of the image. Ranbir’s expression gives little away, leaving viewers to wonder whether they are seeing the aftermath of a fight, an escape or something else entirely. The makers have offered no answer.
The reveal has also prompted some viewers to compare the bloodied image with Ranbir’s appearance in Animal. Those comparisons are reactions to the poster; Bhansali Productions has announced no connection between the two films.
Alia Bhatt’s first look changes the scene
On September 25, Alia’s poster shifted from the road to a lavish stage. She is seated beneath theatrical lights in an elaborate red outfit and feathered headpiece, surrounded by a rich red-and-gold setting. The styling recalls the cabaret performances of classic Hindi cinema, although the makers have not confirmed that her character is a performer.
Placed side by side, the posters suggest two distinct corners of Love & War’s world. Ranbir’s image carries an undercurrent of danger; Alia’s is built around spectacle and glamour. Whether their characters meet in either setting, and what draws them together, remains part of the mystery.
Vicky Kaushal completes the film’s lead cast. His presence alongside Ranbir and Alia has been one of the project’s biggest talking points since its announcement, but the posters released so far reveal little about the relationship between the three characters.
Ranbir reunites with Bhansali after Saawariya
For Ranbir, Love & War is a reunion nearly two decades in the making. Bhansali directed him in Saawariya, his Hindi film debut, in 2007. The new film brings them back together with a cast that also includes two actors who have shared the screen with Ranbir before.
Alia worked with Bhansali on Gangubai Kathiawadi. Love & War marks Vicky’s first collaboration with the director. Ranbir and Alia previously appeared together in Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva, while Alia and Vicky starred in Raazi. Ranbir and Vicky also worked together on Sanju. This will be the first time all three appear in a Bhansali film.
How much is known about the story?
The title points to romance and conflict, and the vintage imagery has given audiences plenty to examine. Still, the makers have not released a detailed synopsis or confirmed the central characters’ identities and relationships.
That leaves the new posters doing what a first look does best: setting a mood and raising questions. Why is Ranbir wounded? What role does Alia’s grand stage setting play in the story? And where does Vicky’s character enter it?
With January 21, 2027 now confirmed as the release date, Love & War has begun showing audiences its world. Its story, for now, remains Bhansali’s secret.
