‘Bharat Gatha’: Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Shreya Ghoshal unite for I&B Ministry's Republic Day 2026 tableau

For fans of both Indian cinema and culture, this year's Republic Day celebration was particularly unique and special. At the 77th Republic Day Parade, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting teamed up with legendary filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali to put together something special: a tableau called ‘Bharat Gatha’. It was a big deal for Indian cinema, grabbing the spotlight right in the middle of the country’s grandest national celebration.This is the first time that an Indian film director designed a Republic Day tableau. Bhansali took the reins, and to top it off, the iconic Shreya Ghoshal recorded a brand new song for the occasion. Her voice, soaring over ‘Kartavya Path’, gave the whole display a magical touch. Here’s all you need to know about ‘Bharat Gatha’.‘Bharat Gatha’ explores the history of storytelling in India. Its detailed design, music, and artwork all represented a different aspect of this evolution. The float began with an image representing the sounds of creation (sacred Aum) and gradually went on through representations of knowledge and wisdom from the ancient world, before finally culminating in an era of vintage movie cameras and film.The tableau was as culturally rich as it was historically impactful. How so? For the first time, Indian cinema stood alongside the country’s other great symbols—not just as entertainment, but as a real part of India’s storytelling tradition. The message was clear: cinema here isn’t just about movies. It’s the next chapter in a story thousands of years old, from myths and folk tales to theater, music, and now, screens everywhere.Bhansali's work on other films (such as ‘Devdas’, ‘Bajirao Mastani’, and ‘Padmaavat’) speaks for his talent for creating large-scale productions. The ‘Bharat Gatha’ tableau was no different. For the tableau as well, Bhansali used his ability to combine dramatic elements with his vision of creating cinematic visuals, which depicts a marriage of culture and cinema in a unique but still traditional manner.In fact, Bhansali has expressed how much he enjoys having the opportunity to be able to represent the work of Indian Cinema and the artistic community. As per him, this tableau represents both India's rich heritage of great stories and also how Film can continue to tell these stories into the future.Right after Bhansali, Shreya Ghoshal, the acclaimed singer, has brought her own magic to the project. Her voice, full of emotion and depth, tied everything together.For the unversed, Shreya and Bhansali go way back. In fact, Bhansali gave her a break in Bollywood in his film ‘Devdas’, and since then, they’ve created some unforgettable moments in Indian music and cinema. Her song added a rich, emotional layer to the tableau, connecting tradition with modernity.