The announcement of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ambitious project Love and War in 2024 made waves across Bollywood. Featuring the reunion of the director with his muse Alia Bhatt, the film also boasts real-life couple Alia and Ranbir Kapoor on screen together for the second time after the Brahmastra franchise. To top it off, Vicky Kaushal, currently gearing up for the release of Chhaava, is set to play a parallel lead in the film, which is slated for a 2026 release.
While the cast is already star-studded, an update on the film’s IMDb page has fans buzzing with excitement. The page lists none other than Bhansali’s former muse Deepika Padukone, tagged with a “cameo appearance,” alongside Alia, Ranbir, and Vicky. This update has sparked speculation about a reunion between Deepika and Bhansali after more than seven years, with their last collaboration being the 2018 blockbuster Padmaavat.
If true, this would also mark Deepika’s on-screen reunion with former beau Ranbir Kapoor after more than three years. While she made a cameo in Brahmastra: Part One – Shiva (2022), the last time the duo shared significant screen space was in Imtiaz Ali’s Tamasha (2015).
Fans have also revisited Alia’s playful remark during Gangubai Kathiawadi promotions, where she joked about Bhansali promising her four films—one more than Deepika’s grand total of three. “He gave her three; he promised me four. But he didn’t promise me he wouldn’t cast her in mine,” she quipped.
Social media is already abuzz with comments about the potential casting. One user wrote, “If that’s really the cast, then it is actually going to be love and war.” Another added, “Deepika, Ranbir, Alia, and Vicky together? Bhansali knows how to give us an epic.”
As the film inches closer to production, fans eagerly await confirmation about Deepika’s involvement, which could elevate an already monumental project to unparalleled heights.