Director Siddharth Anand is best known for directing big-ticket spectacles such as Bang Bang!, War, Pathaan, and Fighter after pivoting from his early-career romance films and family dramas, such as Salaam Namaste, Ta Ra Rum Pum, Bachna Ae Haseeno, and Anjaana Anjaani. Siddharth is not known for grand period dramas of the Sanjay Leela Bhansali kind, but he still holds SLB in high regard.
On Thursday, the filmmaker took to X and expressed his admiration for Bhansali. "SLB. He continues to inspire us. So privileged to even be making films in his era. A true master," Siddharth Anand wrote.
Siddharth's note of admiration comes on the day in which the makers of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's next film, Love and War, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal, dropped a new poster.
In the poster, Ranbir Kapoor's character can be seen driving a car with blood on his left hand. It is described as a romantic war drama, the production on which has been wrapped. The latest update also confirmed that the film remains on course for its January 21, 2027, release.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali is only 63 years old. He started his career as an assistant under Vidhu Vinod Chopra on 1989's gangster film Parinda. Then in 1996, he made his directorial debut with Khamoshi: The Musical, starring Nana Patekar, Salman Khan, Manisha Koirala, and Seema Biswas. Notably, 2026 marks the thirtieth year in Bhansali's career as a director. He is yet to have a theatrical release since 2022's Gangubai Kathiawadi, starring Alia Bhatt in the titular role. However, in 2024, his debut web series Heeramandi released on Netflix.
Coming back to Siddharth Anand, his next film will be King, starring Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone, among others.
