Following this morning’s reconfirmation that Yash’s highly anticipated film Toxic will arrive in theaters as planned during the Eid 2026 window in March, industry insiders are reporting a significant development regarding Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love and War. According to reliable sources, the epic romantic drama starring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal will no longer meet its originally planned Eid 2026 release date, effectively avoiding a box office showdown with Yash’s film.
“This works out favorably for both projects. Having two major Pan-Indian releases compete on the same weekend never made strategic sense,” a well-placed source revealed. “Love and War has experienced delays in its production timeline, with approximately 75 days of filming still remaining. Bhansali has asked his lead actors—Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal—to block extended schedules through summer 2026 to complete principal photography.”
Industry sources indicate that the production is running roughly 40 days behind its original schedule. “Given the current timeline, the earliest possible release window for Love and War would be June 2026 or later. The team will finalize the new release date soon, with an official announcement expected in the coming weeks,” the source added.
The postponement also means that audiences won’t see Ranbir Kapoor and Yash competing at the box office before their anticipated on-screen collaboration in the upcoming Ramayana franchise. Contrary to earlier speculation, it’s Bhansali’s film that’s shifting its release calendar, not Toxic.
“Toxic remains firmly on schedule, and the production team is extremely confident about what they’ve created,” sources close to the project confirmed. “It’s a rare Indian production being filmed simultaneously in Kannada and English, which speaks to its ambitious Pan-Indian vision.”
Further details regarding Love and War’s revised release strategy are expected to be announced officially in due course.
