No teaser: Bhansali plans immersive Love & War reveal in August

Sanjay Leela Bhansali is skipping the traditional teaser format for his upcoming film Love & War, planning instead an immersive reveal in August.

Instead of a standard teaser or motion poster, the filmmaker is building a special promotional asset designed to be audiences’ first look at the film’s world.

The asset is conceived as an immersive experience aimed at capturing the scale, mood and emotional essence of Love & War before the wider marketing campaign begins.

Bhansali is reportedly overseeing every creative aspect of the launch himself, working closely with his core creative team.

The film stars Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal, marking their first on-screen collaboration under Bhansali’s direction.

The film is set against a contemporary military backdrop, following two Indian Armed Forces officers played by Ranbir Kapoor and Vicky Kaushal, whose rivalry drives the plot. Its release date has not been confirmed, with reported timelines having shifted during production.

Anticipation around the project has built steadily, given the box-office pull of its three lead actors and Bhansali’s reputation for visually elaborate films.

The unconventional launch strategy reflects Bhansali’s known habit of personally supervising every stage of a film’s presentation, from production design to marketing.

Bhansali received the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian honours, in 2015, for a body of work spanning films such as Devdas, Black, Padmaavat and Gangubai Kathiawadi.

Kapoor and Bhatt, who are married in real life, have previously shared screen space, adding to the buzz around their casting together in this Bhansali film.

The pairing of Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal in a single Bhansali film has already generated significant anticipation among audiences, given each actor’s individual box-office track record.

Bhansali is known for personally supervising every stage of his films’ visual presentation, from production design to marketing, a hands-on approach reflected in the unconventional rollout planned for this project.

(Image: Photo: President’s Secretariat (GODL-India), Wikimedia Commons)