Shahid Kapoor’s O’Romeo is one of the most anticipated films of 2026. The film draws inspiration from the life of dreaded gangster Hussain Ustara. A few days back, reports were rife that his daughter had legally threatened the makers for the wrong portrayal of her father. Filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj has now addressed the claim and stated why he didn’t take any permission.
Vishal Bharadwaj on legal issue
He said at the trailer launch, “There is a book called Mafia Queens of Mumbai. Hussain Zaidi has written that story. I took the rights of that story and made a film on it. I didn`t think because that story is based on that story. The characters are the same, but there is a lot of fiction in it. Hussain Zaidi must have taken that permission or should have taken it. I didn`t think I needed it because it`s based on a story which is part of a book. The film didn`t happen before, and it`s finally happened now.”
He further spoke about how O’Romeo was a different story with another cast. “Actually, the script was also different. When it was cast, the script was also different. I`m telling you, this story has reached here by being made. Its name is O’Romeo. Otherwise, I would have never thought that the name of this film would be O’Romeo when I read this story for the first time. This script is not mine at all, so it has nothing to do with those previous things.”
About O’Romeo controversy
Sanober Sheikh, the daughter of Hussain Ustara (whose life has reportedly inspired the film), has slapped the makers of O’Romeo with a legal notice. Sanober claims the film offers a wrong portrayal of her father and has demanded Rs 2 crore in compensation.
She denied reports that her family threatened the makers of the upcoming film O’Romeo, saying they have resorted only to legal action and are asking for a pre-release screening to ensure an accurate portrayal of her father’s life.
For those unversed, the film also stars Triptii Dimri, Nana Patekar, Avinash Tiwary, Tamannaah Bhatia, Farida Jalal, and Disha Patani, with Vikrant Massey in a special appearance. O’Romeo is slated for a theatrical release on 13th February 2026, during Valentine’s Week.
