Bollywood power couple Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor talk movies, Raha, and handling paparazzi in Mumbai

Alia Bhatt chose to celebrate her upcoming birthday on March 15 in an unorthodox manner, kicking off the festivities with an interaction with the local media in Mumbai alongside her husband, Ranbir Kapoor.

Before marking the occasion with her family and loved ones on Saturday, Alia cut a cake with photographers, who serenaded her with a heartfelt rendition of “Happy Birthday.” She and Ranbir also took the opportunity to chat with the media, offering insights into their upcoming film, Love and War, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

According to reports, Ranbir took a moment to express his gratitude to the paparazzi for respecting their daughter Raha's privacy.

“A big thank you to all of you for understanding our request and not clicking Raha’s pictures. It really means a lot to us as parents,” he said, acknowledging their cooperation.

Alia also shared details about their shooting schedule, revealing that they primarily film at night, allowing them to spend their days with Raha.

“We work at night and are mom and dad in the day. It’s an interesting combination. But because we shoot at night—and we mostly shot Gangubai Kathiawadi at night too—it really becomes like your own world. There is no distraction and no noise, it’s just us,” she explained.

Both Alia and Ranbir have previously collaborated with Bhansali and understand the intense dedication required for his films. Speaking about the experience, Alia remarked, “Every day we discuss the scene with Sanjay sir, and he makes you feel that 100 percent is just the beginning—you have to give way more. And you want to because he gives so much. Every scene is important, so you don’t go on set thinking any day is a chilling day. But we are having a blast.”

Ranbir echoed her sentiments, admitting that working on a Bhansali film is both exhilarating and demanding. “Love and War is every actor’s dream—to work with actors like Alia and Vicky (Kaushal) and a master like Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Working with him after 17 years, I can say that no human being works as hard as he does. No one knows music, Indian culture, and our value system as much as him. To be on his set is tiring, long, and the process can be daunting, but as an artiste, it is satisfying because he really nurtures art.”

While Alia previously worked with Bhansali in Gangubai Kathiawadi, Ranbir made his acting debut with the filmmaker’s Saawariya (2007), which also starred Sonam Kapoor. However, Love and War marks Vicky Kaushal’s first collaboration with Bhansali.

Ranbir also shared an update about his highly anticipated project, Brahmastra 2.

“Ayan (Mukerji) is nurturing the dream of Brahmāstra 2. He is currently working on War 2, and once he finishes that, he will start the pre-production of the film. There will be some interesting announcements coming from Brahmāstra 2,” he revealed.

Additionally, Ranbir spoke about his recent high-profile advertisement featuring Aamir Khan and cricketers like Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, and Jasprit Bumrah. Expressing his enthusiasm, he said, “It was a big opportunity. He is my favorite actor. Aamir sir and I spent time before the shoot to understand the writing and the tone of the ad.”