When their film Inshallah was canned, actor Alia Bhatt “cracked up, cried, raved, ranted and locked herself in a room,” said filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali while speaking to The Hollywood Reporter India.
The director said, “I was doing Inshallah with her. Then it suddenly got shelved. She broke down, cracked up, cried, raved, ranted, and locked herself in a room. Then I called her up after one week, and I said you are playing Gangubai. She said, ‘From Los Angeles, where I was supposed to be playing the character (in Inshallah), I have come to Kamathipura. How do I do it? I don’t know this character’. I said, ‘Do you trust me, and do you know me?’ Then I’ll tap into that strong woman in you because I can see it in your eyes. I can see how strong how convinced you are of certain things that you do, I’ve understood your personality’.”
The filmmaker and actress will be collaborating again for the upcoming movie Love & War, which also features Ranbir Kapoor and Vicky Kaushal. The star cast is expected to start shooting from next month onwards. The movie is scheduled to hit the theatres in March 2026.