O Romeo Review: If doomed love had a Mumbai postcode, it would look like O’ Romeo. Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj and headlined by a magnetic Shahid Kapoor, this romantic action saga attempts to fuse Shakespearean tragedy with the blood-soaked lore of the Mumbai underworld. The result? A film bursting with passion and poetry — but weighed down by indulgence and uneven storytelling.
🎭 Shakespeare in the Streets of Mumbai
Midway through the film, Afshan — a revenge-driven woman from a refined music lineage — tells contract killer Ustara that she hails from Muzaffarnagar, but her gharana is Gwalior. Ustara replies that though he calls Lucknow home, his gharana is Mumbai.
It’s a clever metaphor: Bhardwaj may belong to Bollywood’s bustling streets, but his creative lineage is unmistakably Shakespearean. Think the fatal devotion of Romeo and Juliet, transplanted from Verona’s balconies to Mumbai’s dockyards — with echoes of Tarantino-esque violence and Gulzar’s lyrical melancholy.
But O’ Romeo is not a direct adaptation. Instead, it borrows Shakespeare’s emotional architecture — love entangled with inevitable doom — and grafts it onto a crime narrative inspired by Mafia Queens of Mumbai by Hussain Zaidi.
🎥 O’ Romeo (Hindi) – Film Details
- Director: Vishal Bhardwaj
- Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Triptii Dimri, Nana Patekar, Avinash Tiwary, Tamannaah Bhatia, Disha Patani, Farida Jalal
- Runtime: 179 minutes
- Genre: Romantic Action Drama / Crime Thriller
- Currently running in theatres
💔 Plot: Love, Revenge & the Underworld
Hussain Ustara (Shahid Kapoor) is a razor-wielding hitman navigating Mumbai’s criminal underbelly. A notorious womaniser, he unexpectedly falls for Afshan (Triptii Dimri), a grieving widow bent on avenging her husband’s murder.
She seeks justice.
He seeks escape.
Love becomes their shared rebellion.
But the stakes rise when intelligence officer Khan (Nana Patekar) tightens his grip on Ustara, while former ganglord Jalal (Avinash Tiwary) resurfaces with terror-fuelled vengeance following the Babri Masjid fallout.
The emotional core is compelling — but the execution struggles to maintain momentum across its lengthy runtime.
⭐ Shahid Kapoor: The Film’s Beating Heart
Let’s be clear: Shahid Kapoor owns O’ Romeo. 🔥
His entry is electric. His screen presence? Magnetic. From explosive action sequences to fragile romantic moments, Kapoor delivers a full-spectrum performance that feels like a showreel of his range.
His crackling dynamic with Nana Patekar provides some of the film’s most engaging exchanges. Even in a stylised dance number featuring Disha Patani, Kapoor emerges as the undeniable focal point.
If you’re searching for “Shahid Kapoor best performance” — this one deserves to be in the conversation.
🎬 Vishal Bhardwaj: Style Over Substance?
Fans of Bhardwaj’s earlier masterpieces like Kaminey and Haider may find themselves yearning for the raw chaos and emotional depth that defined those films.
Here, the poetry is present — Gulzar’s haunting lines linger beautifully — but the emotional payoff feels diluted. The motivations blur, the narrative meanders, and the 179-minute runtime tests patience.
The film oscillates between massy action spectacle and arthouse ambition — without fully reconciling the two. 🎭⚔️
🎭 Supporting Cast: Bright Sparks in a Dim Landscape
- Triptii Dimri delivers a restrained yet emotionally charged performance.
- Nana Patekar injects unpredictable energy into Khan’s character.
- Avinash Tiwary, though menacing on paper, feels underwritten.
- Farida Jalal and Hussain Dalal add texture and occasional levity.
- Tamannaah Bhatia, unfortunately, is reduced to decorative presence.
🎶 Music & Dialogues
As expected in a Vishal Bhardwaj film, the music and poetry carry weight. Gulzar’s lines — “Saans bhi dubli lagti hai, halka halka fever hai” — hit home. But while the words simmer, the emotional fever never fully spreads to the audience.
⚖️ What Works & What Doesn’t
✅ What Works
- Shahid Kapoor’s commanding performance 🔥
- Stylised action sequences
- Poetic dialogues and lyrical undertones
- Engaging moments between Kapoor and Patekar
❌ What Doesn’t
- Overstretched runtime (179 minutes feels indulgent)
- Predictable underworld tropes
- Uneven character arcs
- Emotional disconnect despite high stakes
🎯 Final Verdict: Is O’ Romeo Worth Watching?
O’ Romeo is an ambitious blend of Shakespearean tragedy and Mumbai mafia drama. It showcases Shahid Kapoor at his charismatic best and reaffirms Vishal Bhardwaj’s flair for poetic storytelling.
However, the wandering narrative and uneven pacing prevent it from becoming the modern tragic classic it aspires to be.
⭐ Rating: 3/5
Watch it for Shahid Kapoor. Stay for the moments of lyrical brilliance. But don’t expect the emotional devastation of a true Shakespearean tragedy.
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