SCOOP: Sanjay Leela Bhansali signs Grahan director Ranjan Chandel for historical epic
Sanjay Leela Bhansali might be occupied with the months-long, intense shoot of his directorial venture Love & War, but that has not slowed down his work as a producer.
The maverick filmmaker has simultaneously been lining up a large slate of projects under his Bhansali Productions banner, including the biopic of Madhubala and a mythological jungle adventure film starring Dhanush.
Adding to the already expansive lineup, Bhansali has now signed Grahan director Ranjan Chandel for a historical epic.
Details of the project are being kept tightly under wraps at the moment, but sources say the writing has been completed, and the project will soon move into casting.
The team is apparently waiting for Bhansali to finish Love & War and review the project before moving to the next stage.
Production is being planned for the first half of 2027.
The yet-untitled project marks a completely different territory for Ranjan Chandel, who is primarily known for grounded, realistic and emotionally heavy narratives that blend crime, politics and romance.
In contrast, Bhansali Productions is known for lavish, visually rich dramas mounted on a large canvas, reflecting sensibilities similar to those associated with Bhansali’s own directorial ventures.
The film has been in development for a year, with Chandel closely working with Bhansali on the scripting process.
Sources say the unexpected collaboration is expected to bring a distinct flavour to the historical drama.
Chandel is best known for directing JioHotstar’s critically acclaimed Grahan, a crime drama series based on Satya Vyas’ novel Chaurasi, which revolves around an IPS officer trying to unravel the truth when her father is accused of participating in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Jharkhand.
Previously, he directed the romantic action-drama Bamfaad, starring Aditya Rawal and Shalini Pandey.
The director has worked closely with Anurag Kashyap, first as an AD on Raman Raghav 2.0 and later as a co-writer on Mukkabaaz and Nishaanchi.
He also wrote Neeraj Ghaywan’s popular short film Juice before making his directorial debut with the award-winning short film Jaan Jigar in 2018.
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