Sajid Nadiadwala’s “O’Romeo”: An Engaging But Vicious Valentine Release

To celebrate this Valentine’s Day with romance and violence, Bollywood unleashes an epic action drama of gangster love and vengeance. Titled “O’Romeo”, the film stars Shahid Kapoor as a razor-wielding assassin, Ustara, who takes on the Mumbai underworld’s kingpin. It also features Triptii Dimri as the female lead and Avinash Tiwary as the lead antagonist, Jamal. Produced by Sajid Nadiadwala and written and directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, O’Romeo made its theatrical debut on February 13, 2026.

Based on the non-fiction crime novel “Mafia Queens of Mumbai” by Hussain Zaidi, the gangster saga delves deep into the crime-laden landscape of Mumbai city in the state of Maharashtra, India. A dreaded assassin named Ustara (Shahid Kapoor) is hired by a revenge-seeking widow, Afsha Qureshi (Triptii Dimri), to eliminate four criminals. As their love blossoms, dramatic and bloody incidents unfold as Ustara and Afsha embark on a vengeful adventure filled with violence and bloodshed.

Ustara Se Panga Nahi Lene Ka!

Visit “Paan Ki Dukaan” With The Romeo!

The Good:

O’Romeo is an interesting story of love and vengeance where the screenplay doesn’t remain stagnant. Dramatic and twisted events unfold every moment during the first half, making it an intriguing experience. As the drama proceeds, you will witness menacing incidents of mass massacre and unpredictability that will bind you to your seats. The climax had a surprising twist, which revealed our murderous gangster hero, Ustara (Shahid Kapoor), as an altruist.

Shahid Kapoor possesses an enduring charm in Hindi cinema. His dialogue delivery and body language as the gritty and fearsome womanizing gangster Ustara are simply fascinating. It is surprising to see how he smoothly transforms for character-specific roles. Besides, he has splendidly portrayed shady and toxic characters in the past, like in Kaminey (2009) and Kabir Singh (2019). Triptii Dimri’s transformation from a Bollywood heartthrob to a vengeful widow was quite impressive. Her chemistry and teamwork with Shahid were marvelous, with a blend of romance and aggressiveness.

Nana Patekar as Intelligence Bureau officer Ismail Khan was funny to watch. Rahul Deshpande, as the corrupt police inspector Jayant Pathare, possessed the qualities of a terrifying assassin and a master classical vocalist. Farida Jalal, Tamannaah Bhatia, and Disha Patani lent great support, although they had very little screen presence. Vikarant Massey, in a special appearance as Triptii Dimri’s on-screen husband, has done a swell job.

Check Out “Fifty Shades Of Romeo” in O’Romeo (2026) Official Trailer:

Feel The Vibe Of “O’Romeo” – Starring Shahid Kapoor!

O’Romeo will promise you a nostalgic cinematic experience with electrifying action choreography. You would get the 90s-era retro Bollywood feel upon watching it. The dialogues in this vengeful gangster love story speak of intimidation and hatred for the enemies. Shahid Kapoor’s ruling dialogue in the movie goes, “Ustara Se Panga Nahi Lene Ka…Shareer Se Aatma Kaatke Le Jaata Hain”, meaning “Don’t mess with a razor…it slices the soul right out of the body”. Moreover, some of the tracks like “Paan Ki Dukaan” were vibrant and exhilarating.

The Track “Aashiqon Ki Colony” From O’Romeo Featuring Shahid Kapoor with Disha Patani

The Bad:

However, the second half of O’Romeo’s screenplay loses its grip and appears a bit stretched. Somewhere, I feel that the runtime has been forcefully extended to make it an exact 3-hour spiced-up mass-appeal film, just for the sake of it. To be honest, with more precise editing, its run duration could have been brought down to 2 hours.

Even if the performances are compelling, unfortunately, Vishal Bhardwaj’s narrative does not allow us to engage emotionally with the lead characters. You won’t feel emotionally attached to them. Shahid, as the protagonist gangster, has been portrayed as a womanizer, and then he suddenly falls in love with Triptii’s vengeance-seeking widow character. After that, he sets out on a mission to seek vengeance on behalf of her, endangering his freedom and well-being. Such an act seems a bit too unconvincing for a serial womanizer. My advice to the makers is, show us something real and convincing enough to digest. If you had to show “selfless love”, then you might as well have considered omitting the womanizing trait of the anti-hero.

The Hate Of Romeo!

Although Avinash Tiwary, as the lead antagonist, Jalal, was unpredictable, murderous, and menacing, his negative character appeared cartoonish rather than intimidating. I believe he has great potential to showcase himself as a terrifying villain, but the narrative of O’Romeo was such that it entirely spoiled the aura of his villainous role. Moreover, I found his bullfights hilarious.

O’Romeo is an A-rated film on account of excessive violence and free use of abusive language. I also do not appreciate Bollywood’s support of toxic heroes. I mean, the violence, gore, and on-screen killings Shahid Kapoor as Ustara in O’Romeo and Ranbir Kapoor as Ranvijay in Animal have committed may negatively influence the mindset of certain sections of the audience, especially youth. Are these movie characters even fit to be addressed as “heroes”, or are they actually brutal murderers? Well, anything for entertainment, it seems. If the audience enjoys toxicity, then so be it!

Romeo Ka “Jalwa”!

The Verdict: Get Ready To Experience Hindi Cinema’s Toxic Hype!

Even if O’Romeo has a mass appeal, I don’t find it to be a “feel-good” action-thriller. The toxicity of the lead characters is just too high. To be honest, Vishal Bhardwaj’s directional style seems to be more focused on toxic narratives that can initiate a negative aura. Reminds me of his cult classic Kaminey (2009), which also featured Shahid Kapoor in a shady and menacing role.

The “Fever Of Love” With Shahid Kapoor and Triptii Dimri in O’Romeo!

Now for some real versus reel deal! You will be amazed to learn that this gangster drama is based on true events, but not entirely. Here, the lead antagonist, Jalal, played by Avinash Tiwary, actually depicts the dreaded underworld don and terrorist, Dawood Ibrahim. Shahid Kapoor’s character Ustara is in reality the fierce and notorious gangster of the 1990s, Hussain Ustra, who teamed up with a widowed lady (played by Triptii Dimri) to assassinate Dawood. But their plan failed, and instead, Ustara’s lady partner was killed in the process. As per reports, the family of this lady gangster has alleged that she shared a sibling attachment with Hussain Ustra, and there was no such romantic relationship between them as shown in the film. So, Bollywood always tries to add its own spices to its stories, killing Dawood Ibrahim, who is alive, and depicting a romantic relationship between two real-life gangster partners that actually never happened.

But all for the sake of entertainment!  Leaving realism aside, this story of gangster love and vengeance may appeal to those sections of the audience who prefer raw, menacing, and unhinged melodramas. But those who are aware of the reality may find O’Romeo as an exaggerated fictional piece that simply glorifies toxicity. For you, if violence, abuses, and bloodbaths are palatable, then you can very well consider visiting the theaters to watch Shahid Kapoor untamed on a rampage!

Peak Into The World Of Romeo This Valentine!