Alia Bhatt has stepped into a striking new world for Love & War. The film’s latest poster gives audiences their first official look at Alia Bhatt’s character, presenting her in a glamorous retro avatar that evokes the cabaret culture of the 1960s and 1970s. Dressed in a red sequin co-ord set with a dramatic slit skirt and an elaborate feathered headpiece, Alia Bhatt brings a completely different visual identity to the film, which also stars Ranbir Kapoor and Vicky Kaushal.
Bhansali Productions unveiled the poster on September 25 with the fiery line, “Aag bhi, dilon ki jaan bhi!” The reveal comes only a day after Ranbir Kapoor’s first-look poster, creating an immediate visual contrast between the two leads. While Alia Bhatt’s image is built around glamour, colour and stage-like styling, Ranbir Kapoor was presented in a much rougher retro look, seated behind the wheel of a bright teal vintage convertible. He wears round sunglasses and a pencil moustache, while his blood-soaked arm and visible bullet hole hint at the more dangerous side of his character.
That contrast makes the two posters particularly interesting because Love & War is being built around a high-stakes wartime love triangle. The makers have kept the characters and their relationships largely under wraps, but the first looks are beginning to show how differently each character belongs to this world. Ranbir Kapoor’s first look, unveiled a day earlier, presented him behind the wheel of a turquoise vintage convertible, wearing round sunglasses and a pencil moustache. His otherwise composed retro appearance was contrasted by a bruised and bloodied arm resting outside the car, with a visible bullet wound adding a darker edge to the image. Alia Bhatt’s poster, by comparison, suggests a performance-driven, glamorous side of the period setting, creating a sharp visual contrast between the two leads.
For Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the film also represents an interesting shift in visual direction. Rather than relying primarily on the heavily traditional historical architecture seen in several of his recent period films, Love & War is shaping up as a more contemporary-looking world within its period setting. The combination of wartime action, romance and retro styling gives the film a different visual space, while still leaving room for the detailed design associated with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s cinema.
The project also brings back an important creative partnership. Love & War marks Alia Bhatt’s second film with Sanjay Leela Bhansali after Gangubai Kathiawadi, their 2022 collaboration that won widespread acclaim. It is also Alia Bhatt’s second film with Vicky Kaushal after Raazi, where the two actors shared the screen in 2018. With Ranbir Kapoor completing the central trio, the film brings together three actors who already have distinct associations with major Hindi cinema projects.
The poster is also significant because it changes the conversation around Alia Bhatt’s role without spelling it out. The styling places her in a world of stage lights, sequins and old-school glamour, suggesting that performance may be closely connected to her character. At the same time, the poster does not reveal her character’s name or explain her relationship with either man, allowing the visual itself to create curiosity. This restraint keeps the film’s mystery intact.
The latest reveal also arrives after a long production journey. Love & War was initially announced for a Christmas 2025 release before undergoing changes to its schedule. The film eventually completed its main shoot in September 2026, although additional work on its war portions has since been reported. With the first looks of both Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt now public, the film is beginning to reveal its visual language while continuing to keep the central characters and their relationships largely under wraps. Its worldwide theatrical release is officially set for January 21, 2027, in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, placing it just ahead of the Republic Day weekend.
With Alia Bhatt’s first look now out, Love & War is slowly giving audiences pieces of its world without revealing the entire story. Her retro cabaret-inspired appearance adds another layer to the film’s visual identity, especially when viewed alongside Ranbir Kapoor’s rugged first look. The combination of romance, war and sharply contrasting character designs makes the January 21 release an important next chapter in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s evolving cinematic world.