Ranbir is morphing into Sanju again’: Netizens react to Ranbir Kapoor’s bulky avatar in video from Love & War sets

Ranbir Kapoor recently celebrated a crew member’s birthday on the sets of Love & War, but it’s his physical transformation that’s truly taking social media by storm. Over the years, audiences have enjoyed many biopics, whether about athletes or freedom fighters. Beyond the inspiring stories, a biopic becomes especially compelling when the actor closely resembles the person they’re portraying. We saw this rare feat in Sanju (2018), where Ranbir Kapoor played the role of actor Sanjay Dutt. Sanjay has had many iconic looks over the years, and it was captivating to see Ranbir transform seamlessly into each one. Now, after six years, fans are thrilled to see hints of Sanju Baba in Ranbir once again.

Recently, a video of Ranbir Kapoor celebrating his spot boy’s birthday went viral, capturing a candid moment from the sets of his upcoming film, Love & War. In this Sanjay Leela Bhansali-directed project, Ranbir is joined by his wife, Alia Bhatt, and fellow Bollywood star Vicky Kaushal, making it one of the most anticipated films. While Ranbir’s down-to-earth nature and camaraderie with the crew stood out, what truly grabbed fans’ attention was his impressive physical transformation.

In the video, Ranbir appears significantly bulked up, sparking speculation that his intense new look is for his character in Love & War. Social media is buzzing, with fans saying he resembles Sanjay Dutt—perhaps even more than when he portrayed Dutt in the 2018 biopic Sanju. That performance showcased Ranbir’s remarkable ability to morph into different phases of Sanjay Dutt’s life, from his early years to his iconic hairstyles and mannerisms. Now, six years later, fans are drawing comparisons once again, with some even saying he’s channeling “Sanju Baba” more authentically than ever.

The excitement around this transformation also highlights fans’ appreciation for Ranbir’s dedication to his roles and his willingness to undergo physical changes to embody a character fully. As more glimpses of Love & War emerge, it’s clear that Ranbir’s new look has set the stage for a much-talked-about release, building curiosity about his role and the story Bhansali is bringing to the screen.

Under a Reddit thread featuring the viral video, one social media user gushed, “Ranbir’s capacity to look different versions of Sanju everytime is just is quite impressive,” whereas another netizen joked, “He looking more like Sanjay Dutt than Sanjay Dutt himself lol 💀.” Meanwhile, an internet user asked, “Is it me or Ranbir is morphing into Sanju again?,” whereas a fan shared, “I couldn’t recognize him because I saw it roughly and thought it’s sanjay dutt.” A netizen even claimed, “RK is totally in his “Sanju Baba” era.”

Well, we don’t know about his resemblance to Sanju Baba, but Ranbir does look smoking hot in this new avatar! Interestingly, Ranbir and Vicky worked together in Sanju and are now reuniting in Love & War. We can’t wait to find out more about their characters when the film arrives in theatres in 2026.