Bombay City Civil Court Rejects Plea to Block Shahid Kapoor's O’ Romeo

In a major relief for the makers of O’ Romeo, starring Shahid Kapoor, the Bombay City Civil Court has dismissed a plea seeking to restrain the release of the film. The ruling clears the way for its theatrical release, bringing an end to a last-minute legal challenge that had threatened to delay the movie’s scheduled premiere.

The decision came after a detailed hearing in which the court examined competing claims of personality and privacy rights against the fundamental right to creative expression. The court observed that artistic freedom enjoys constitutional protection, particularly when a creative work is presented as fiction and carries clear disclaimers regarding its characters and narrative.

The lawsuit was filed by the daughter of the late Hussain Shaikh, who alleged that the film’s portrayal infringed upon her father’s privacy and reputation. She claimed that the storyline bore similarities to real individuals and events and sought judicial intervention to prevent what she described as misuse of personal identity and history.

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During the proceedings, the filmmakers highlighted that O’ Romeo had been publicly announced in late 2024, while the legal challenge was initiated only days before the film’s release. The court took note of the timing and observed that eleventh-hour attempts to halt a film could result in disproportionate and irreparable losses to producers, distributors, and other stakeholders associated with the project.

While dismissing the application, the court reaffirmed that the right to privacy is personal and does not survive after an individual’s death. It ruled that such rights cannot be inherited or exercised by family members to block artistic or fictional works. The court also recognized the film as a work of fiction, supported by a clear disclaimer stating that any resemblance to real persons is coincidental.

Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, O’ Romeo is based on Hussain Zaidi’s novel Mafia Queens of Mumbai. Set against the backdrop of Mumbai’s underworld, the film follows the story of Hussain Ustara, a conflicted gangster navigating crime and emotion. The cast includes Triptii Dimri, Nana Patekar, Avinash Tiwary, Disha Patani, Farida Jalal, and Tamannaah Bhatia, with the film scheduled to release in theaters on February 13.

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