Sanjay Leela Bhansali signs Ranjan Chandel for historical epic under Bhansali Productions

New Bhansali Productions project

Sanjay Leela Bhansali has signed director Ranjan Chandel to direct a historical epic under his Bhansali Productions banner, according to multiple reports. The yet-untitled project is currently being kept under wraps, with details about its storyline and casting closely guarded, as reported by Bollywood Hungama and The Times of India.

The script is said to have been completed, and the team is expected to move into casting once Bhansali has reviewed the material, according to Bollywood Hungama and The Times of India. Production is reportedly targeted for the first half of 2027, as per both outlets. The project has been in development for about a year, with Chandel working closely with Bhansali on the scripting process, Bollywood Hungama reported.

Chandel's career trajectory

Ranjan Chandel is best known for directing JioHotstar's critically acclaimed crime drama series 'Grahan', based on Satya Vyas's novel 'Chaurasi'. The series follows an IPS officer investigating allegations against her father in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Jharkhand, as described by Bollywood Hungama and The Times of India.

Before 'Grahan', Chandel directed the romantic action-drama 'Bamfaad', starring Aditya Rawal and Shalini Pandey, according to all three outlets. His career includes collaborations with filmmaker Anurag Kashyap: he worked as an assistant director on 'Raman Raghav 2.0' and later co-wrote 'Mukkabaaz' and 'Nishaanchi' with Kashyap, as reported by Bollywood Hungama, NewsBytes, and The Times of India. He also wrote Neeraj Ghaywan's short film 'Juice' and made his directorial debut with the award-winning short film 'Jaan Jigar' in 2018, according to those same sources.

Chandel directed the Vikrant Massey-starrer 'The Sabarmati Report', released in 2024, but left the project due to creative differences with producer Ektaa Kapoor, as reported by all three outlets. His next directorial venture is the fourth season of ZEE 5's show 'Rangbaaz', which recently began filming in Bhopal, according to Bollywood Hungama and The Times of India. The cast includes Mohit Raina, Vijay Raaz, Arunoday Singh, Pawan Malhotra, Zoya Afroz, Rahul Dev, Ashutosh Rana, Manu Rishi Chadha, and Kanikka Kapoor, as listed by Bollywood Hungama and The Times of India. Chandel is expected to begin pre-production on the Bhansali project after completing the web series, Bollywood Hungama reported.

Bhansali's current productions

Bhansali is currently shooting the final schedule of his period love story 'Love & War', starring Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, and Alia Bhatt, at Royal Palms in Goregaon, according to all three outlets. Once that shoot wraps, Bhansali Productions' 'Madhubala' is expected to go on floors in October, with Dhurandhar actress Sara Arjun playing the titular role, as reported by Bollywood Hungama and NewsBytes. Another Bhansali Productions project, a mythological jungle adventure starring Dhanush, is set to go into production in February 2027, according to Bollywood Hungama and The Times of India.

The new historical epic marks a departure for Chandel, known for grounded, realistic narratives, while Bhansali Productions is associated with large-scale, visually rich dramas, as The Times of India noted. Sources cited by Bollywood Hungama said the unexpected collaboration is expected to bring a distinct flavour to the historical drama.