Sanjay Leela Bhansali is not easing out of Love and War so much as sliding straight into his next big canvas. The filmmaker is set to complete the final leg of the Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal-starrer at Royal Palms in Goregaon by the end of August 2026, and the same location is already being lined up for a Madhubala biopic led by Sara Arjun. It is the kind of back-to-back creative pivot that keeps Bhansali firmly in his grand, high-stakes zone.
The development sharpens the picture around two closely watched projects at once. Love and War is entering its closing stretch after a long and closely tracked production run, while the Madhubala film appears ready to move into its next phase almost immediately after. For Sara Arjun, that means stepping into a role tied to one of Hindi cinema’s most enduring legends.
The Final Song Before The Wrap
Bhansali’s immediate focus remains Love and War, which is heading into its last major shoot. The source material states, “We’ve heard that the filmmaker will shoot the final song of ‘Love & War’ at Royal Palms in Goregaon next week, before calling it a wrap on the Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal-starrer.”
That timeline aligns with recent production updates around the film’s final schedule at Royal Palms and Bhansali’s push to close principal photography by August 31, 2026. The period drama stars Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal, and is currently slated for a January 2027 theatrical release.
Royal Palms Prepares For Madhubala
The more intriguing turn is what happens once Love and War packs up. The source adds, “But Bhansali won’t be budging from the location right after. Industry insiders have told mid-day that the same location will be used soon after for the Madhubala biopic, which stars Sara Arjun and is backed by the filmmaker.”
That quick handover gives the update its real edge. Rather than striking an entirely new base, Bhansali appears to be repurposing the Royal Palms ecosystem for a project with a very different emotional texture. If Love and War is mounted as a sweeping period romance, the Madhubala film carries the pull of screen history, memory, and the challenge of reimagining a star whose mystique has never really faded.
To be helmed by Darlings (2022) director Jasmeet K Reen, the yet-untitled biopic was previously stalled over budgetary concerns, but gained momentum after Bhansali joined as a producer. The source added, “Sara has started preparing for the role. Jasmeet wants to capture Madhubala’s personality, mannerisms, and the world she inhabited.”
The biographical drama, backed by Bhansali, places Sara Arjun at the center of a role that comes with enormous cultural recall. Madhubala remains one of the most beloved figures in Indian cinema, and any attempt to revisit her life on screen arrives with instant attention.
Sara Arjun’S Recent And Upcoming Work
Sara Arjun’s career has been moving steadily toward more visible mainstream space. She is attached to Dhurandhar, directed by Aditya Dhar and starring Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, R Madhavan, Akshaye Khanna, and Arjun Rampal, which is scheduled for release on December 4, 2026. Before that, she featured in Euphoria, Gunasekhar’s Telugu social drama, which released in 2026.
The Madhubala biopic now stands out as a major inflection point. Unlike ensemble-driven projects, this film puts Sara squarely at the center of the narrative and its emotional weight. After building recognition across industries, she now appears to be stepping into a role that could redefine how audiences see her as a leading performer.
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