Love, rebellion, poetry, and bloodshed, when Vishal Bhardwaj adapts romance with his signature intensity, expectations automatically soar. O’Romeo arrives mounted on scale, star power, and ambition, but while it sparkles in moments, it doesn’t consistently sustain its emotional power.
Front and center is Shahid Kapoor as Ustara, delivering an electrifying performance that anchors the film. His raw aggression, restless energy, and emotional vulnerability make Ustara magnetic. Shahid doesn’t merely perform, he transforms.
This stands tall as one of the finest performances of his career, and he remains the undeniable heartbeat of the narrative. Opposite him, Tripti Dimri as Afsha Qureshi gets a strong, layered character, and she owns it with remarkable conviction.
There is grace, intensity, and inner strength in her portrayal, and she matches Shahid scene for scene. This could easily be termed her career-best performance so far, as she commands attention without ever going overboard.
Veteran Nana Patekar, as Ismail Khan, however, feels underutilized. Despite his commanding presence, his limited screen time prevents the character from leaving a deeper impact.
Similarly, Avinash Tiwary as Jalal, the primary antagonist, shows flashes of brilliance but isn’t explored to his full potential. With sharper writing, he could have emerged as a far more formidable and layered villain.
The supporting cast, Tamannaah Bhatia as Rabia Jalal, Farida Jalal as Dadi, Hussain Dalal as Chhotu, Rahul Deshpande as Inspector Pathare, Rohit Pathak as Shankar, and Vikrant Massey as Mehmood Qureshi, contribute as required and help move the narrative forward within their respective arcs.
Technically, the film impresses. The cinematography adds scale and texture to the storytelling, and the music composed by Vishal Bhardwaj himself emerges as a major highlight. The songs are thoughtfully integrated into the screenplay, enhancing the mood rather than interrupting it.
Interestingly, the film feels like Vishal Bhardwaj is consciously attempting to adapt to the new-age style of storytelling, keeping the current generation audience in mind. The inclusion of stylized action sequences and heightened dramatic moments seems designed to add contemporary appeal.
While some of these action portions are executed effectively and add intensity, a few moments feel forcefully inserted, slightly disturbing the organic flow of the narrative. This tonal imbalance could be one of the reasons why a section of the audience walked away feeling disappointed.
The major drawback remains the weak screenplay. With a runtime of 178 minutes, the film often feels overstretched. The emotional depth never fully translates on screen, making certain stretches tiresome.
Tighter editing by Aarif Sheikh, trimming at least 25–30 minutes, could have significantly improved the film’s pacing and overall impact. In the end, O’Romeo shines because of its performances and music, but struggles due to its inconsistent writing and extended runtime. It’s ambitious, stylish, and occasionally powerful, yet not as emotionally stirring as it could have been.
Mounted on a substantial budget of around ₹150 crore and released on 13 February 2026, O’Romeo has so far collected around ₹34 crore at the box office, reflecting its mixed word of mouth.
Rating: 6/10
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