With the ongoing buzz and speculations, Variety has announced that Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s highly awaited film, Love & War, now eyes an August 14, 2026, release-perfectly timed with the Independence Day weekend. Although an official confirmation is awaited, the new date could mark the first-ever Independence Day release by Bhansali to strategically position the film for a long holiday run and strong prospects at the box office.
Independence Day has always been one of the most lucrative release windows in Hindi cinema, and big hits like Gadar 2 and Stree 2 cashed in on patriotic sentiment coupled with an extended weekend. In case of confirmation, Bhansali’s epic is most likely to reap benefits from a similar boost in audience appeal, considering the anticipation surrounding the project’s scale, pathos, and powerhouse cast.
The film was earlier scheduled to release on 20th March 2026. It is reported that the release has been pushed due to pending shoots. “About 125 days of the shoot are already done, but a big portion remains pending and that got the makers to shift the date. The official announcement will be made soon,” says a source close to the development.
This film, featuring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal, marks a reunion between Bhansali and Alia for the first time since Gangubai Kathiawadi, as he will be working with the other two for the first time. He will soon leave for Italy after wrapping up this schedule in Mumbai. Bhansali intends to shoot the movie’s climax in Sicily, which is a popular destination for beautiful scenic locations and its cinematic charm.
With Bhansali’s signature mix of visual grandeur, intense storytelling, and powerful music, Love & War has already been touted as one of the biggest cinematic events of 2026. And if the Independence Day release holds true, then it may just set the stage for a monumental box office spectacle in the forthcoming year.
