The controversy surrounding Vishal Bhardwaj’s much-anticipated film O’Romeo has intensified, with Sanober Shaikh, daughter of late gangster Hussain Ustara, directly challenging author Hussain Zaidi’s claims of obtaining permission before writing about her family in his book Mafia Queens of Mumbai. In an exclusive interview with NDTV, Sanober categorically denied that Zaidi or anyone from his team ever approached her family for consent. “No, not at all. We did not even know when his book was released,” she stated.

According to her, the family only learned about the book’s content and Zaidi’s related Instagram broadcast much later, discovering what she described as inaccurate and exaggerated portrayals of her father. Sanober alleged that Zaidi twisted facts for personal gain, adding fictional events that never occurred.

She recounted attempting to contact Zaidi after the broadcast, only to receive a vague response promising to “speak to sir” — with no follow-up. Sanober said she warned him to remove the content and cease spreading misinformation, threatening legal action if ignored. She strongly objected to Zaidi portraying himself as her father’s friend, arguing that even if true, it did not grant him the right to publish unverified or false claims about a deceased person without consulting the family.

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The dispute traces back to the O’Romeo teaser release, when Sanober first alleged that the film drew from her father’s life without permission. Her lawyer, DV Saroj, sent legal notices to director Vishal Bhardwaj and producer Sajid Nadiadwala. At the film’s trailer launch on January 21, 2026, Bhardwaj clarified that O’Romeo is inspired by a chapter in Zaidi’s published book, with rights acquired accordingly. He shifted responsibility for family permission to the author, stating, “If permission has to be taken, that responsibility lies with the author who wrote the book, not with the filmmaker.”

Sanober’s latest statements appear to undermine that defense, as she maintains no consent was ever sought from the family. She confirmed that a legal notice sent to Zaidi remains unanswered, and her family is prepared to pursue the matter in court. “Our matter is ongoing. We will file a case and whatever happens, we will proceed legally,” she affirmed.

The escalating row highlights complex issues of biographical rights, accuracy in true-crime storytelling, and the ethical responsibilities of authors and filmmakers when depicting real individuals — especially after their passing.

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