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O Romeo Review: Shahid Kapoor is in top form and Triptii Dimri holds more than her own.
O’Romeo Review: Shahid Kapoor and Triptii Dimri impress in Vishal Bhardwaj’s film.
O’RomeoA
4/5
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Triptii Dimri, Avinash Tiwary, Nana PatekarDirector: Vishal BhardwajMusic: Vishal Bhardwaj
O’Romeo Review: In the late 1900s, Mehmood Khan, an associate of Dawood Ibrahim, decided that he wanted to quit the underworld and live a quiet life with his wife, Ashraf Khan. With a hopeful heart, he travelled to Dubai to express his wish to Dawood himself. It is said that Dawood had allowed him to leave his syndicate. However, upon his return, Mehmood was killed in a police encounter at the Mumbai Airport.
Ashraf was unconvinced. She felt that Dawood had asked his connections in the police to murder Mehmood. She even went to court against the inspector who killed her husband. She believed that if the inspector could be proven guilty, Dawood himself could be brought to India and get his due punishment. When justice was denied, Ashraf approached Dawood’s enemy, Hussain Ustara, and both plotted to kill Ibrahim.
In 2026, in Vishal Bhardwaj’s O’Romeo (set in the late 1990s), Triptii Dimri’s Afshan approaches Shahid Kapoor’s Ustara with the same proposal- to kill Jalal, the gangster behind her husband’s murder. O’Romeo is inspired by a chapter of Hussain Zaidi’s book, Mafia Queens of Mumbai, which details the life of Ashraf Khan or Sapna Didi. However, the film’s disclaimer tells you that it is entirely fictional. While the film is loosely based on some reality, largely, it tells a different story- one guided by love and not just bloodlust.
Ustara and Jalal used to work together in Spain, remotely ruling the Mumbai underworld. Ustara decides to part ways with Jalal, and in the fallout, Jalal’s brother is killed. Jalal attempts to avenge his brother, Mohsin, but Ustara is saved by Indian Intelligence Officer Ismail Khan, on the condition that he becomes an informant. All of this unfolds off-screen.
Years later, Afshan approaches Ustara with a supari — to kill Jalal and other men who wronged her husband, Mehboob. Ustara tests Afshan but refuses her offer, deeming her to be naive. Through a flashback, we learn that Afshan and Mehboob were childhood sweethearts. To earn enough to marry her, Mehboob took an accountant’s job under Jalal.
When Mehboob got beaten up by enemies, Afshan learnt the truth about his employment and asked him to quit. Jalal, incensed from his base in Spain, ordered Mehboob’s murder. In court, Mehboob was framed as a sharpshooter — not just an accountant. Afshan’s grief then guides her on a path of revenge. This path leads her directly to Ustara and his gang.
Impressed by Afshan’s immovable spirit and resolve, Ustara finally decides to accept her supari. He also falls for her along the way. What follows is a journey of blood and revenge guided by love. At its core, O’Romeo is a love story: Afshan’s love for Mehboob, Ustara’s love for Afshan and Jalal’s love for his brother.
It is said that love can be a double-edged sword, or in this case, a razor. In this story, as much redemption as love brings, it also becomes a factor for destruction. Just when you think you’ve figured out the entire plot, the narrative twists sharply. And then again. It’s filled with turns you genuinely won’t see coming.
O’Romeo reunites Vishal Bhardwaj with Shahid Kapoor- a lethal combination that has proved its mettle time and again. This film is no exception. The film commands your attention right from the start. Vishal Bhardwaj takes his time to build Ustara’s world, and Shahid Kapoor does justice to his vision. This is Shahid Kapoor in top form.
Shahid’s Ustara is layered with danger, humour, charm and wit. But there are often reminders that, before all the sharp dialogue and bravado, he is a criminal. Shahid, who is no stranger to the genre, essays this role with blade-sharp conviction. He commands attention on screen and is an obvious delight to watch in the dance sequences.
What’s refreshing about his character is that his vulnerability is as frequently on display as his machismo. He is not shown as a larger-than-life hero who is stronger than everyone around him. He takes punches, he breaks down, he has moments of loss, and he needs his gang to survive. Shahid Kapoor hits all the right notes. You have seen this Shahid before, but it is a Shahid you love.
But as much as Ustara, O’Romeo is also Afshan’s story. Afshan is the heart of the film, and her resolve to avenge her husband is what keeps the plot moving. For Triptii Dimri, Afshan might be her best mainstream role yet. In a genre where women aren’t given much thought, it’s refreshing to see her in a role that isn’t ornamental but central. Triptii Dimri becomes Afshan. She perfectly brings Afshan’s innocence and fire to the screen. She complements Shahid and shines in this role.
Avinash Tiwary as Jalal is deceptive. When Jalal is first introduced, we meet a man in Spain who has all the physical characteristics of being a formidable villain. Even as the story moves forward, Avinash does his best to convince us of how dangerous he is, and he does, before succumbing too quickly to Shahid’s Ustara. Tamannaah Bhatia plays his wife Rabia. Initially introduced almost quietly, she emerges in the second half as a key character.
Nana Patekar as Ismail Khan impresses every time he appears on screen. Much of his character’s plot takes place off-screen, but he adds a necessary counterweight to Shahid’s Ustara. He reminds us of Ustara’s criminality, lest we forget. Farida Jalal as Ustara’s dadi is lovely to watch, but sadly underused. Vikrant Massey as Mehboob does well in his brief but impactful cameo.
However, more than the performances, it is cinematography that leaves a lasting impact. Ben Bernhard does a brilliant job in carefully curating each frame to match Vishal Bhardwaj’s vision. From impactful close-ups to out-of-focus shots that ask you to pay attention, each frame is impressive.
The colour palette of the film becomes a character of its own. From the bright yellows to the cool blues, the visual tone keeps you glued to the screen in anticipation of the next frame. The camera has respected every actor, and it is good to see unpolished and unfiltered people on the big screen. The visual texture of the film is commendable.
The background music has also been treated smartly, as expected from any Vishal Bhardwaj film. Yes, the trope of old songs in new films is getting tired- but here, from radios to live musicians, it’s woven into the storytelling with clever intent. The storytelling is layered with Vishal Bhardwaj’s signature. From using newspaper headlines to set the era to leaving little breadcrumbs that lead to an ‘aha’ moment later, O’Romeo is a proper entertainer.
While some parts of the film might feel over-dramatised given the genre, they don’t weigh the film down. The only time the film feels underwhelming is when Ustara and Jalal face off in Spain, and the vengeful brother succumbs too quickly. Given the buildup, Avinash Tiwary should have come off as more menacing than he did.
In a time of blood fatigue in films, it is easy to dismiss O’Romeo. Had it come before films like Animal and Dhurandhar, it could have been better for the film. Yes, O’Romeo has its share of gore, but it is also different, and it deserves attention. It combines both good performance and technical brilliance.
While the Shahid Kapoor-Vishal Bhardwaj combination is widely praised and their films usually become critical successes, they gain mass popularity much later. It is time that we give this combination the box office respect it deserves. If nothing else, Ben Bernhard’s delicious frames must be appreciated.
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February 13, 2026, 16:22 IST
