Filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj’s latest project, O Romeo, featuring Shahid Kapoor, has garnered mixed reviews since its release. While it has yet to surpass the ₹100 crore milestone at the global box office, actor Hussain Dalal, who plays Chotu, remains optimistic. He emphasizes the importance of evaluating the film on its unique merits rather than comparing it to recent high-profile releases.
Released on February 13, just before Valentine’s Day, O Romeo also stars Triptii Dimri, Nana Patekar, and Tamannaah Bhatia, among others. The film revolves around a gangster named Ustara, portrayed by Shahid, who aids Triptii’s character in a quest for revenge. It draws inspiration from Hussain Zaidi’s book, Mafia Queens of Mumbai.
Hussain is keen on redirecting the focus towards the film’s artistic qualities and narrative depth, arguing that these aspects should be appreciated independently of commercial performance. He remarked on the film’s acceptance, mentioning how it passed the critical “Monday test” often seen in box office evaluations.
He critiques the industry’s tendency to measure new films against past blockbusters, stating that doing so creates an unrealistic benchmark. “Every genre should coexist in the film industry,” he adds, praising Vishal’s mastery of poetic tragedy, while distinguishing it from other filmmakers’ styles.
Drawing from his extensive experience in the film industry, Hussain believes the evaluation should be centered around a film’s quality rather than its box office earnings. He expressed contentment that audiences are finding value in the film, citing an uptick in personal messages from viewers that he usually doesn’t receive.
Moreover, he highlights that some films are crafted for artistic expression, not just commercial gain, reiterating his happiness with how O Romeo has turned out.
During the discussion, Dalal also addressed the unrealistic expectations surrounding O Romeo in comparison to major hits like Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar or Ranbir Kapoor’s Animal. He pointed out that audiences often anticipate similar box office results for all films labeled as “angry,” whereas O Romeo offers a different storytelling approach focused on narrative rather than action-packed sequences.
He clarified that the film does not align with the traditional portrayals of violent films, indicating its distinction from the aforementioned blockbusters. Hussain concluded by asserting that if the film is viewed without comparisons, it can be considered a complete success.
O Romeo is both written and directed by Vishal Bharadwaj, and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala through Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment.