‘O’Romeo’ review: Strong performances can’t save this uneven crime saga

The iconic director-actor duo of Vishal Bhardwaj and Shahid Kapoor reunited with ‘O’Romeo’, a romantic action thriller that arrived in cinemas on Friday. Marking their fourth collaboration after ‘Kaminey’, ‘Rangoon’, and ‘Haider’, the film ends a decade-long wait since their last outing together in 2014’s critically acclaimed ‘Haider’. Over the years, Bhardwaj and Kapoor have delivered some of Hindi cinema’s most memorable, layered dramas — naturally raising expectations for their latest venture.

In ‘O’Romeo’, Shahid steps into the role of Ustara, a brooding local gangster navigating the murky underbelly of Mumbai. He is joined by Triptii Dimri as Afsha, Nana Patekar as intelligence officer Khan Sahab, and Avinash Tiwary as another gangster, Jalal. Set against the gritty backdrop of the city, the story revolves around the simmering rivalry between gangsters Ustara and Jalal, blending romance with stylised violence.

While the film generated significant buzz owing to the much-awaited Bhardwaj–Kapoor reunion, ‘O’Romeo’ ultimately struggles to live up to the towering expectations. Read on to find out what works — and what doesn’t — in this romantic crime saga.

Set in Mumbai, O’Romeo unfolds as a passionate tale of love between gangster Ustara and Afsha (Dimri). Afsha, a seemingly docile woman from Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh, approaches Ustara seeking his help to kill Jalal, driven by a deeply personal loss and a burning desire for revenge. Though Jalal is already his rival, Ustara initially refuses to get involved in her vendetta. However, circumstances and shifting loyalties gradually push him to reconsider. In the process, he finds himself drawn to Afsha, and what begins as reluctance slowly turns into love.

Meanwhile, Khan Sahab, the powerful figure under whom Ustara operates, assigns him a parallel mission — to dismantle Jalal’s growing drug cartel in Mumbai — further intensifying the conflict and raising the stakes.

First and foremost, a primary factor that makes ‘O’Romeo’ a watchable film is its cast and performances. Bhardwaj’s directorial is one of the best projects with a stellar cast in recent times. While Kapoor has obviously delivered another magnificent act on the lines of films such as ‘Kaminey’, ‘Haider’, and ‘Udta Punjab’, Dimri also shows off her acting chops yet again. Though it is for the first time that Kapoor and Dimri have been paired opposite each other, their chemistry hits off from the very first scene.

‘O’Romeo’ is not a film that runs solely on the shoulders of its leading man or leading woman — or even both. Instead, it thrives on performances, thanks to casting director Mukesh Chhabra, who has brought together a cast of brilliant actors, even if it meant appearing in a cameo. For instance, Farida Jalal as Ustara’s Dadi (grandmother) is an absolute treat to watch. You may expect her to be the sweet, loving mother figure we have seen her portray over the years. She plays somewhat a similar character here, yet with a very different vibe and energy. She abuses, she bullies too, but she never stops loving. Though her role is limited, the veteran actress makes sure to leave a lasting impression on the audience’s mind.

Not just her, but other actors too, who played cameos, like Vikrant Massey and Tamannaah Bhatia, have proved that no role is big or small; it’s the craft that matters and shows. Disha Patani, on the other hand, was limited to dancing.

Other than performances, what also shines through on certain occasions is the background score by Bhardwaj. Although the music won’t strike the chords as it did with other Vishal Bhardwaj films, the BGM during action sequences surely fits right - it’s peppy and pacy. But I wish I could say the same about its songs. Sadly, the songs are quite a letdown.

Moving forward, although Bhardwaj’s film may have earned full marks in the casting and performance departments, it sadly fails to prove its worth in the storyline and screenplay as well. The narrative turns out to be largely predictable, relying heavily on a familiar arc of revenge and rivalry. In an attempt to heighten the drama, the film leans on repeated throat-slitting sequences and graphic moments to amplify its violent, action-intensified tone — a choice that often feels excessive and, at times, unnecessary.

With a duration of 179 minutes, 'O’Romeo' feels rather stretched and tends to move at a sluggish pace. Not only is the film lengthy, but it is also laden with repetitive dialogues that dilutes its impact. Given that it is a Vishal Bhardwaj film, sharp and memorable dialogue is usually expected — unfortunately, that isn’t the case here.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars