Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Kareena Kapoor Khan to end 24-year rift in Dhanush's mythological adventure

Highlights

• Kareena Kapoor Khan has reportedly been approached for the female lead in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's next production starring Dhanush.
• If she signs the project, it will mark her first collaboration with Bhansali after their long-standing fallout over Devdas.
• The mythological jungle adventure is expected to begin filming in January 2027.

More than two decades after a missed opportunity on Devdas sparked one of Bollywood's most talked-about professional fallouts, Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Kareena Kapoor Khan could finally be heading towards their first collaboration.

According to reports, Bhansali has approached Kareena to play the female lead opposite Dhanush in his upcoming mythological jungle adventure. While discussions are said to be ongoing, the actor has reportedly shown interest in the project, with negotiations continuing over dates, remuneration and other contractual details.

If the deal goes through, it would mark Kareena's first project with Bhansali, ending a professional divide that has lasted since the early 2000s.

A collaboration years in the making

The strained relationship between Bhansali and Kareena dates back to Devdas. Kareena had reportedly screen-tested for the role of Paro but later learnt that Aishwarya Rai Bachchan had been cast instead. The episode led to a public fallout, with Kareena saying at the time that she would not work with the filmmaker.

Despite both enjoying successful careers over the following years, they never collaborated. The reported offer for Bhansali's latest production therefore marks a significant shift, although Kareena has yet to formally come on board.

The untitled film will star Dhanush in the lead and is being produced by Bhansali, while Tamil filmmaker P. S. Mithran will direct. Described as a mythological adventure set in a jungle, the story reportedly revolves around an elephant, with the makers keeping further plot details under wraps.

What else is known about the project?

The film is currently in the writing stage, with pre-production expected to begin in November and principal photography scheduled for January 2027.

The female lead is said to have a substantial role alongside Dhanush, which is why Bhansali is reportedly keen to cast Kareena. However, no official announcement has been made.

Meanwhile, Kareena is preparing for the release of Daayra, Meghna Gulzar's crime thriller co-starring Prithviraj Sukumaran, which is due in cinemas on September 18, 2026.

Bhansali, meanwhile, is in the final stages of completing Love & War, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal. The period romance is scheduled for release on January 21, 2027.

Should Kareena sign the untitled Dhanush project, it would bring an end to a 24-year professional rift and finally unite one of Hindi cinema's biggest stars with one of its most celebrated filmmakers.