Sanjay Leela Bhansali might be occupied with the months-long, intense shoot of his directorial venture Love & War, but that has not slowed down his work as a producer. The maverick filmmaker has simultaneously been lining up a large slate of projects under his Bhansali Productions banner, including the biopic of Madhubala and a mythological jungle adventure film starring Dhanush.
Adding to the already expansive lineup, Bhansali has now signed Grahan director Ranjan Chandel for a historical epic. Details of the project are being kept tightly under wraps at the moment, but sources say the writing has been completed, and the project will soon move into casting. The team is apparently waiting for Bhansali to finish Love & War and review the project before moving to the next stage. Production is being planned for the first half of 2027.
The yet-untitled project marks a completely different territory for Ranjan Chandel, who is primarily known for grounded, realistic and emotionally heavy narratives that blend crime, politics and romance. In contrast, Bhansali Productions is known for lavish, visually rich dramas mounted on a large canvas, reflecting sensibilities similar to those associated with Bhansali’s own directorial ventures. The film has been in development for a year, with Chandel closely working with Bhansali on the scripting process. Sources say the unexpected collaboration is expected to bring a distinct flavour to the historical drama.
Chandel is best known for directing JioHotstar’s critically acclaimed Grahan, a crime drama series based on Satya Vyas’ novel Chaurasi, which revolves around an IPS officer trying to unravel the truth when her father is accused of participating in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Jharkhand. Previously, he directed the romantic action-drama Bamfaad, starring Aditya Rawal and Shalini Pandey. The director has worked closely with Anurag Kashyap, first as an AD on Raman Raghav 2.0 and later as a co-writer on Mukkabaaz and Nishaanchi. He also wrote Neeraj Ghaywan’s popular short film Juice before making his directorial debut with the award-winning short film Jaan Jigar in 2018.
Chandel also directed Vikrant Massey-starrer The Sabarmati Report (2024) but stepped away from the project towards the end of the shoot due to creative differences with producer Ekta Kapoor. Next, he is set to direct the fourth season of ZEE 5’s flagship show Rangbaaz. Mohit Raina, Vijay Raaz, Arunoday Singh, Pawan Malhotra, Zoya Afroz, Rahul Dev, Ashutosh Rana, Manu Rishi Chadha and Kanikka Kapoor play pivotal roles in the crime drama, which recently began shooting in Bhopal. Chandel is expected to commence pre-production on the Bhansali project immediately after completing the web series.
Meanwhile, Bhansali is currently shooting the final schedule of his much-awaited period love story Love & War, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal and Alia Bhatt, at Royal Palms in Goregaon. Once the shoot wraps, the same location is expected to be utilised for his production venture Madhubala, which will go on floors in October, with Dhurandhar actress Sara Arjun playing the titular role. His other production, a mythological jungle adventure starring Dhanush, is set to go into production in February 2027.
Also Read: Sanjay Leela Bhansali to begin Madhubala biopic starring Sara Arjun in September
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