Vishal Bhardwaj’s O Romeo, starring Shahid Kapoor, may not have delivered massive box office numbers, but actor Hussain Dalal believes the film deserves a different kind of discussion. While trade reports focus on collections and the film’s struggle to cross the Rs 100 crore mark worldwide, Dalal says constant comparisons with recent blockbusters are unfair.
Released on February 13 ahead of the Valentine’s Day weekend, O Romeo opened to mixed reviews. However, the film has gradually found its audience. Dalal, who plays Chotu in the crime drama, pointed out that sustaining beyond the opening days is itself a positive sign.
In an interview, Husaain Dalal said, “The film is fairly accepted. We survived our Monday test. We try to compare every new film with the last all-time blockbuster that was released, which is such a strange yardstick.”
The film features a strong ensemble cast, including Triptii Dimri, Nana Patekar, Avinash Tiwary, Tamannaah Bhatia, Disha Patani, Farida Jalal and Vikrant Massey. Based on Hussain Zaidi’s Mafia Queens of Mumbai, the story follows Shahid Kapoor’s gangster character Ustara, who helps Triptii Dimri’s Afsha Qureshi, also known as Rani Sharma, seek revenge.
Dalal stressed that O Romeo should be judged for its storytelling and craft rather than just its commercial performance.
O Romeo And Its Box Office Comparison Debate
Dalal stated that not every film is meant to chase record-breaking numbers. According to him, audiences and the industry often measure new releases against recent mega-hits, which creates unrealistic expectations.
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The actor explained, “I believe that all genres in society should exist, not just one. Vishal Bhardwaj is the master of poetic tragedy. Sanjay Leela Bhansali does poetic tragedy through a magnum opus filter, nobody does poetic tragedy through a real filter like Vishal… The original voices should be looked at with a slightly more respectful filter than just comparing it with other films.”
He further added, “Vishal chases quality… I’m very happy that people are watching the film. We did decent numbers. I am actually getting messages from people every day, which I normally don’t get.”
Shahid Kapoor Starrer Isn’t An ‘Angry Film’
Dalal also addressed why comparisons with films like Dhurandhar, Animal and Border 2 do not apply. He explained that O Romeo belongs to a completely different genre.
Dalal said, “Logun ne khoon chak liya hai ek crazy number ka on an angry film. Aur logun ko lag raha tha ke yeh bhi kuch angry hi hai. But yeh angry nahi hai. Yeh kahani wali film hai. Ismein woh ladki 4 logun ka murder karna chahti hai. Ismein ek bada plot hai.”
He further clarified, “Ismein ek aadmi aaa (shout gesture) bolke mar nahi raha hai logun ko… yeh alag hai. Mujhe sari movies pasand hain… Isse Dhurandhar ka expectation rakhna ya isse Animal ya Border 2 ki expectation rakhna galat hai. Yeh genre hi alag hai.” (In this film, there isn’t a man just shouting and killing people… it’s different. I like all kinds of films, but expecting it to perform like Dhurandhar, Animal, or Border 2 is not right. The genre itself is completely different.)
Dalal summed up his perspective and said, “Agar hum comparisons se nikal kar dekhein toh yeh film complete success hai.”
O Romeo is written and directed by Vishal Bhardwaj and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala under Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment. It also stars Triptii Dimri, Avinash Tiwary, Nana Patekar, Farida Jalal, Tamannaah Bhatia and Vikrant Massey in important roles.
