After being the most powerful actor-director pair in Bollywood, Ranveer Singh and Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who gave us cinematic masterpieces in the form of films like Ram Leela, Bajirao Mastani, and Padmaavat, are now said to be undergoing a severe professional and personal rift. The reason for this reported rift seems to be Bhansali’s casting choices in his highly anticipated new film, Love & War, in which Ranbir Kapoor features in a leading role.
Casting & Creative Direction
There were the first whispers of a likely breakup after it became apparent that Ranveer Singh, who had been the inspiration behind Bhansali’s grand cinematic vision until then, had been left out of the lead cast of Love & War. The important male lead was instead usurped by Ranbir Kapoor in a surprising development given Ranveer’s string of good form and legendary rapport with the director. Inside sources say that Ranveer was approached to do a supporting part in the film, which he apparently turned down, clearing the way for Vicky Kaushal to fill that gap. This choice by Bhansali, to proceed with another top hero, ie, Ranbir Kapoor with whom Bhansali had less-than-optimal beginnings in his career, is said to be the cause of tension today.
Personal & Professional Fallout
The alleged estrangement between Bhansali and Ranveer has made itself evident in overt ways beyond bare professional endeavors. Adding fuel to the rumors was Bhansali’s reported no-show at Ranveer Singh’s 40th birthday party, a celebration reportedly kept small and private for close friends alone. This glaring absence on what was for Ranveer a highly personal occasion, particularly given their long history with it and its success, was read as an open sign that their friendship has indeed soured. Though neither party has made a public statement, industry opinion is that this is likely a classic case of the cold-shoulder treatment being applied to one erstwhile political ally by another. Ranveer, meanwhile, remained busy continuing his own work, with the first look of his action-oriented film Dhurandhar revealed recently, indicating a clear departure from his previous mentor on his professional path. Bhansali, meanwhile, is completely involved in the elephantine shoot of Love & War, already a film well ahead in its shoot schedule and foreseen sweep sequences, especially those with Ranbir Kapoor and Vicky Kaushal. The fate of the iconic pair Ranveer-Bhansali remains hanging, an indication of how conceptual differences and other casting options can shatter even the most powerful of partnerships in Bollywood.
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