O’ Romeo – External Reviews

Thumbs up
by Devesh Sharma,

Filmfare

…n the end, the film is held together by its performances. The actors commit with such conviction that they make even the wildest flourishes feel momentarily plausible. You may roll your eyes at the excess, but you will not be bored. Like any good opera, it demands surrender. And if you give in, it rewards you with spectacle, passion and performances that linger long after the curtain falls. The ending hints at a sequel, so expect more of the same….

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by Aakash Kumar,

Filmi Beat

…Overall, O Romeo is a strictly decent one-time watch. Though it was promoted as Vishal Bharadwaj’s most massy film, it turned out to be another trademark Vishal Bharadwaj story with a touch of violence and gore….

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by Lachmi Deb Roy,

FirstPost

…A big shout-out to Vishal Bharadwaj for giving such a solid film with quirky dialogues, brilliant music, and engaging performances by each of the actors. A salute to the captain of the ship of O’ Romeo! Vishal Bhardwaj directorial O’ Romeo is a love story to remember….

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by Ria Sharma,

Free Press Journal

…Shahid delivers a powerful performance, balancing intensity with emotions. He makes Ustara both intimidating and heartbreakingly human. This is one of his best performances so far. Triptii shines as Afsha, bringing grace and quiet strength to her role. Their chemistry works well. Supporting actors, including Nana Patekar, are impressive and add gravitas to the story. Avinash Tiwary as the villain Jalal is decent, though his character could have been more menacing. No supporting actor feels out of place….

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by Trisha Gaur,

koimoi

…The music is absolute class. We have to discuss that in detail but in short it is uff at some points and good for the rest of the part!…

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by Mayank shekhar,

MiD DAY

…O’Romeo is, by no means, the exception. O’yeah, give it a go….

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by Saibal Chatterjee,

NDTV

…It is unsurprisingly A-rated, but we have seen worse. The violence in O’Romeo, graphic as it is, is never sans a moral context. Killing isn’t easy, Ustara says to Afshan. When you kill, you cross a line, and a human becomes a monster, he adds. The screenplay is aware of that truth and never strays from it….

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by KASHVI RAJ SINGH,

News18.com

…While the Shahid Kapoor-Vishal Bhardwaj combination is widely praised and their films usually become critical successes, they gain mass popularity much later. It is time that we give this combination the box office respect it deserves. If nothing else, Ben Bernhard’s delicious frames must be appreciated….

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by madhuri Adnal,

One india

…O Romeo is a dark, performance-driven romantic thriller that finds its rhythm after the interval. Shahid Kapoor delivers one of his stronger recent turns, and Vishal Bhardwaj crafts a film that balances violence with emotional complexity….

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by Gayatri Nirmal,

Pinkvilla

…If you are a sucker for complex love stories layered with passion, betrayal and violence, this Vishal Bhardwaj rendition is for you. This Valentine’s, it’s all red, not hearts, but blood and gore….

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by Deepa Gahlot,

Rediff

…Shahid Kapoor is styled like a cowboy and combines a swaggering body language with intensity and sometimes an almost child-like obstinacy. Having worked with the director in the past, there is that collaborative trust that results in a character, who is not likeable, but still demands sympathy….

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by dhaval Roy,

Times of India

…Despite frequent pacing issues that demand patience, O’Romeo is worth watching for its performances, atmosphere, and cinematic brilliance….

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So-So
by Nitin Jain,

Glamsham.com

…It is a film that holds attention in parts, impresses with craft, and delivers committed performances, yet stops short of being truly gripping….

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So-So
by Rishabh Suri,

Hindustan Times

…Overall, O’Romeo has moments that remind you why Bhardwaj remains one of our most distinctive filmmakers, but they are scattered across a narrative that loses emotional clarity along the way. Despite Shahid’s wild energy and a few stylish flourishes, the film struggles to find its emotional core. It is watchable, even fun in parts, but rarely affecting in the way Bhardwaj’s best work is. You walk out entertained in flashes… and strangely unmoved….

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So-So
by Sana Farzeen,

india today

…At nearly three hours, the film feels long. It unfolds like a novel that does not know when to end. While that literary quality might be intentional, cinema demands tighter storytelling. The songs, though melodious, add to the indulgence. There are simply too many of them, and not all push the story forward….

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So-So
by Anindita Mukhopadhyay,

India TV

…O Romeo has the mood, the performances, and flashes of the poetic storytelling you expect from Vishal Bhardwaj. Shahid Kapoor and Triptii Dimri hold your attention, and the music lingers. But the film doesn’t quite come together….

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So-So
by Shubhra Gupta,

indian express

…Yes, it’s more sure-footed than Bharadwaj’s recent slate — Kuttey, Fursat, Charlie Chopra — but I want the Bharadwaj who gave us the marvellous Maqbool and the kinetic Kaminey, back….

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So-So
by Sakshi Salil Chavan,

Outlook India

…The final act regains urgency and culminates in a rousing yet foreseeable crescendo. With a more disciplined edit though, ‘O’ Romeo’ might have achieved the narrative stature its ambition seeks. Should word of mouth favour it, Bhardwaj’s devoted audience will undoubtedly gather….

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So-So
by Shubhangi Shah,

The Week

…‘O’Romeo’ boasts a formidable supporting cast, Nana Patekar, Farida Jalal, Tamanaah Bhatia and Aruna Irani, yet most are reduced to fleeting appearances. Only Patekar truly registers, keeping you on edge even as he cracks you up in moments of humour….

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So-So
by Tanmayi Savadi,

Times Now

…O’ Romeo isn’t a bad film nor a masterpiece. It has a lot of loose ends and unexplained connections. Due to this, it becomes difficult to join dots and feel characters and their purposes. With excellent performances, and Vishal’s ability to tell a fairly engaging story for 3 hours, O’ Romeo can be watched with loved ones and parents, only if violence, abuses and bloodshed are palatable….

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Thumbs down
by Subhash K Jha,

Bolly Spice

…O’Romeo brings out the beast in everyone. By the time Nana Patekar (yes, he is in it too) ends up on a hospital bed, mumbling Dhak dhak karne laga, the screenplay lies writhing, smashed against the nearest wall. My question to the makers of this monstrously inflated mishmash is, why waste so much resources in glorifying a gangster?…

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by Sameer Ahire,

Movie Talkies

…As a whole, O Romeo is a senseless saga that consumes nearly three hours of your life, offering very little in return—except regret for the time spent watching it….

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by Nandini Ramnath,

Scroll.in

…The movie’s most original idea is that music is balm as well as salvation. Having led viewers over extremely well-trodden territory, Bhardwaj designs a coda that achieves a semblance of delicacy in a decidedly indelicate tale of bloody slaughter….

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by Anuj Kumar,

The Hindu

…as ‘O Romeo doesn’t deliver the emotional or narrative punch its setup promises….

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