Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj and starring Shahid Kapoor, Triptii Dimri, and Avinash Tiwary in the lead, O’Romeo is a film adaptation of Jane Borges and S. Hussain Zaidi’s book, Mafia Queens of Mumbai. We just watched the film and, Vishal Bhardwaj fans, you’re in for a treat! Here’s our review of O’Romeo.

O’Romeo movie review: The plot

Vishal Bhardwaj brings Ashraf Khan aka Sapna Didi’s story to the screen through the character of Afshan Khan (Triptii Dimri) in the film. The film features Shahid Kapoor as Ustara, a gangster who works for Ismail Khan, a member of the Intelligence Bureau. Together, Ustara and Ismail devise a plan to kill Jalal (Avinash Tiwary), a gangster turned terrorist. They carry out their operation slowly until Afshan Khan arrives at Ustara’s doorstep. She seeks Ustara’s help to kill Jalal as he orchestrated her husband Mehboob’s murder. But Ustara refuses to help her. Will Afshan convince Ustara to team up with her to kill Jalal?

What we loved about O’Romeo

The movie screams Vishal Bhardwaj in every shot. In his recent Instagram post about the film, Bhardwaj said that O’Romeo is as massy, artistic, violent, poetic, loving, and vengeful as he can be. And it shows. The plot is intense and insanely twisted, keeping you on the edge throughout. The action sequences are brutal, the story beautifully thrilling, and the soundtrack is a work of art. Bhardwaj elevates the movie with his stellar direction. There are several scenes in O’Romeo that will make you want to rewind and watch again. The interplay of light in the first few scenes and the artistic use of colour during Jalal and Afshan’s face-off are standout sequences. O’Romeo also features dialogues and symbols that serve as nostalgic callbacks to Bhardwaj’s 2014 film, Haider. Don’t miss them!

O’Romeo‘s cast delivers brilliance. Bhardwaj’s Ustara was tailor-made for Shahid, and the actor’s performance proves it. He effortlessly switches between a menacing gangster and a lovesick man. Avinash as Jalal is chilling to watch. Even when he’s not speaking, his fierce look speaks for him. Triptii beautifully plays Afshan, a grief-stricken wife seeking revenge for her beloved. She picks up minute details of her character and does justice to her storyline. Other actors, including Nana Patekar, Farida Jalal, Tamannaah Bhatia, Vikrant Massey, and Disha Patani, elevate the movie through their craft.

What we didn’t love about O’Romeo

While O’Romeo stands tall as a gritty romantic thriller, it does take its sweet time. The first half leans too heavily into building every character, stretching the buildup a bit too much. Even the second half moves slowly when it should have been sharper. And just when you’ve fully settled in, spinning wild theories in your head about how it’s all going to unfold, the film wraps up rather abruptly. That said, the movie is still a must-watch. Whether you’re celebrating Galentine’s Day with your besties or taking out your partner on Valentine’s Day, you should book tickets for O’Romeo this weekend.

O’Romeo is now running in theatres.

Can you watch O’Romeo with your family? No, the film portrays explicit intimacy and obscene language.

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