Sanjay Leela Bhansali has found an unexpected new collaborator, and that is exactly what makes this development so interesting. Ranjan Chandel, the filmmaker best associated with gritty, emotionally bruised storytelling in Grahan, is now set to direct a historical epic for Bhansali Productions, a banner known for scale, sweep, and visual opulence. It is the kind of pairing that instantly sparks curiosity because the sensibilities are so distinct.
The film is already well into development, with the script completed after Chandel spent the past year working closely with Bhansali on the writing. Casting is expected to begin once Bhansali wraps Love & War and turns his attention to the next production on the slate. The plan is to take the historical drama into production in the first half of 2027.
A Sharp Shift In Scale For Ranjan Chandel
For Chandel, this project marks a clear move into lavish period storytelling. He is best known for Grahan, the Disney+ Hotstar crime drama based on Satya Vyas’s novel Chaurasi, which premiered in June 2021 and drew praise for weaving a personal investigation into the trauma of the 1984 anti Sikh riots. Before that, he directed Bamfaad, and he also built a strong writing track record through projects connected to Anurag Kashyap’s creative circle.
That history makes this collaboration especially compelling. Chandel’s work has usually thrived on intimacy, political undercurrents, and emotional rawness. Bhansali’s world, by contrast, is built on grandeur, stylised drama, and period spectacle. The real draw here is the possibility of those two energies meeting in the same film.
Bhansali’s Slate Is Getting Even Busier
The new historical epic joins an increasingly ambitious lineup at Bhansali Productions. Bhansali is currently occupied with Love & War, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal, which is scheduled to release on January 21, 2027. The banner is also moving ahead with a Madhubala biopic, with Sara Arjun set to play the legendary star, while a mythological jungle adventure film starring Dhanush is also in the pipeline.
Seen together, these projects show a producer balancing star driven spectacle with very different storytelling voices. Chandel’s film fits neatly into that mix while still standing out as one of the more intriguing creative combinations on the horizon.
Ranjan Chandel’s Recent Work
Chandel’s most recent directorial release was The Sabarmati Report in 2024, although he exited the film toward the end of its shoot following creative differences. He is also attached to direct the fourth season of Rangbaaz, which recently went on floors in Bhopal. The crime drama features Mohit Raina, Vijay Raaz, Arunoday Singh, Pawan Malhotra, Zoya Afroz, Rahul Dev, Ashutosh Rana, Manu Rishi Chadha, and Kanikka Kapoor in pivotal roles.
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.
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