After Padmaavat, Sanjay Leela Bhansali has once again faced controversy for his new directorial “Love & War,” which stars Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal in lead roles.
A case has been filed against filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali and two members of his team in Bikaner, Rajasthan. The case was registered after a local man, Prateek Raj Mathur, accused them of cheating, misconduct and breach of trust during the making of Bhansali’s upcoming film Love & War.
According to police, Mathur claimed that he was hired as a producer for the film but was later removed without pay. He said that he had already made arrangements for the shoot and had coordinated with government departments, but when he went to meet the film crew at a hotel, he was mistreated.
Based on his complaint, the court directed the police to register a case and an FIR was lodged at the Bichhwal police station against Bhansali, Arvind Gill and Utkarsh Bali on charges of cheating, criminal conspiracy and intimidation. The case is now being investigated by Sho Govind Singh Charan. Love and War, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal, is scheduled to release in 2026.
Bhansali and his series of controversies
This is not the first time that a black director has faced legal action or opposition. During the making of Padmaavat (previously titled Padmavati), Sanjay Leela Bhansali faced massive protests from several Rajput groups, mainly the Sri Rajput Karni Sena, who strongly protested, claiming that the film distorted historical facts and insulted the honour of Queen Padmini. There were rumours that the film showed a romantic dream sequence between Alauddin Khilji and Rani Padmini, which the makers repeatedly denied. The making of Padmaavat faced several setbacks. The sets were vandalised, and even Bhansali was physically attacked. However, despite the massive backlash, Padmaavat became a blockbuster.
