Vishal Bhardwaj and Shahid Kapoor have delivered some of modern Hindi cinema’s most enduring collaborations, from Kaminey to Haider. With O’ Romeo, expectations were naturally high. What unfolds, however, is a film that is rich in mood and visual poetry but uneven in storytelling, ultimately falling short of its ambition.
From its opening moments, O’ Romeo appears uncertain about its own identity. It jumps from being a love story, a gangster saga, a revenge drama and a psychological portrait, but never fully commits to any one form. Bhardwaj’s signature atmospheric style is intact with blood-soaked frames, lyrical violence and operatic tension but the narrative struggles to hold these elements together.
Also Read | O’Romeo set for February 13 release as Mumbai court dismisses Ustara daughter’s stay plea
A magnetic lead, a fragile core
The first half is entirely the domain of Shahid Kapoor in the role of the eccentric and volatile gangster cum Intelligence Bureau aide Romeo Avtar also known as Ustra. Scenes introducing him are played with the utmost theatricality, ritualistically marked in blood and gore. However, Shahid is in top form in these scenes, channeling his earlier darker roles to emerge with yet another unique characterisation. These scenes in the film are full of energy.
However, problems begin to occur with the romance. In this film, Afsha, played by Triptii Dimri, is a revenge-seeker with trauma issues. While Dimri does convey intensity, the romance between Romeo and Afsha does not feel like it ever really develops. In fact, Romeo’s instantaneous romantic turn-about does not appear to have any real emotional development. The screenplay asks the audience to believe in a sweeping passion without adequately building it.
Strong performers, weak payoff
Avinash Tiwary’s Jamal, positioned as a near-mythic Mumbai kingpin, is diminished by writing that never lets the menace properly sink in. The same is also true for the formidable cast of supporting characters, like Vikrant Massey, Tamannaah Bhatia, Nana Patekar, and Farida Jalal. They are introduced and then forgotten, as the film plods along.
Also Read | ‘Indian films are banned, but look’: YouTuber spots pirated copies of Dhurandhar in Pakistan | WATCH
The Spain-filmed final confrontation, while visually interesting on paper, is emotionally lacking. The symbolic bullfight scene, intended to complete the hero-villain character arc, is ineffective, failing instead of succeeding on an emotional high.
At almost three hours long, O’ Romeo feels like an overextended work of art. While the tunes are sweet, they are used too frequently, bogging the action down instead of advancing the plot. What remains is an enjoyable work of cinema in parts, rather than the whole.
