Vishal Bhardwaj Defends Shahid Kapoor, Triptii Dimri-starrer 'O'Romeo': 'Based on Book', 'Gaalis Have Poetry'

Filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj has addressed the legal controversy surrounding his upcoming action romance, O’Romeo. Slated for release on February 13, the film stars Shahid Kapoor and Triptii Dimri and draws inspiration from real-life events, specifically the underworld saga of gangster Hussain Ustara and Ashraf Khan, also known as Sapna Didi.

A couple of weeks ago, Ustara’s daughter, Sanober Shaikh, accused the makers of misrepresenting her father’s life and his relationship with Sapna Didi. Shaikh claimed that no consent had been taken from the family while adapting the story. A legal notice was subsequently sent to producer Sajid Nadiadwala.

While the film interprets its central relationship as a complex, unrequited love story, the actual bond between Ustara and Sapna Didi was closer to that of siblings, Shaikh has claimed.

Addressing the controversy at the O’Romeo trailer launch event on Wednesday (January 21), Bhardwaj clarified that the film is based on a chapter from the book Mafia Queens of Mumbai, written by Hussain Zaidi and Jane Borges. He stated that he had officially acquired the rights to the book from Zaidi and had also written its foreword.

“If permission has to be taken, that responsibility lies with the author who wrote the book, not with the filmmaker. This film is based on a published book, not on private documents or a direct retelling of someone’s life,” Bhardwaj said, adding that Zaidi must have taken permission from Ustara’s family. He also stressed that the film contains several fictional elements.

Bhardwaj also addressed criticism regarding the film’s use of explicit language and excessive violence. “I feel that gaalis (abuses) in movies shouldn’t be censored. As a society, we are very hypocritical. We accept such languages on the streets, but when they appear in cinema, we feel that cinema is affecting society negatively… Cinema, according to me, is a mirror of society. it reflects exactly who you are.” He further described such language as having “poetry” when used appropriately and in context.

The trailer of O’Romeo depicts the rise of a flamboyant gangster and his connection with a mysterious woman driven by vengeance, set against the backdrop of Mumbai’s underworld. This is Bhardwaj's fourth collaboration with Kapoor, after Kaminey, Haider and Rangoon. On his decades-long partnership with the actor, Bhardwaj said he and Kapoor share deep 'aesthetic' synergy. "Despite our occasional creative differences, we are always in sync aesthetically. It's like we are made of the same stuff," the filmmaker said.