While burning the midnight oil to complete his big-screen wartime love storyLove & War, Sanjay Leela Bhansali has taken time off to undertake a unique and unprecedented task: Bhansali has prepared a montage-tableau of the best moments and landmarks of 113 years of Indian cinema, which will be shown at the Republic Day parade on January 26 in New Delhi.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali gets rare honour to present best moments and landmarks of 113 years of Indian cinema on Republic Day

While Bhansali is not allowed to speak about the singular honour. a source very close to the epic filmmaker shared the details with this writer. “When the Ministry for Information & Broadcasting approached Bhansali for this historic venture, his first response was to decline the honour. He is currently rushing against deadlines to complete his Ranbir-Alia starrerLove & Warand felt he needed no distraction.”

It was Bhansali’s team which convinced him to take up the challenge. “Bhansali’s team bluntly told him he would be foolish to turn down this opportunity to encapsulate the pride of Indian cinema.”

Losing almost all sleep for the last two months, Bhansali readied the tableau, which is already been described as an epoch-defining visitation of the choicest moments of our cinema.

Also Read: No delay for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love & War; film STILL on track for 2026 release