Vishal BhardwajThe upcoming film “O Romeo” with the main role Shahid Kapoor and Triptiy Dimri in the leads, won a major legal victory before its release. A Mumbai civil court refused to stay the film’s release, rejecting a plea by late gangster Hussain Ustara’s daughter, who claimed the project was based on her father’s life.Sanober Sheikh, daughter of Hussain Shaikh, also known as Hussain Ustar, claimed that the filmmakers went ahead with the project without her or her family’s consent. She filed a civil suit against producer Sajid Nadiadwala, director Vishal Bhardwaj and writer Hussain Zaidi.
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In its order issued Saturday, the court ruled that Sanober failed to establish a case for an injunction. Civil court judge HK Shende said the plaintiff had previously sought monetary compensation from the authors, making the request for an immediate suspension “impermissible in law.”In her plea, Sanober Sheikh claimed that the subject of the film was completely taken from her late father’s life, claiming that he was “portrayed as a gangster”.The defense, however, argued that the film was “pure fiction” and contained clear warnings. Advocates Ashwin Bhalekar and Rishi Bhuta, appearing for the manufacturers, told the court that Sanober had sent several notices before filing the suit, demanding compensation of between Rs 1 crore and Rs 5 crore.
They argued that this clearly shows that “the grievance is purely pecuniary”.The court also pointed out the delay in filing the lawsuit. “The plaintiff was well aware of the proposed film long before the suit was filed, but only approached the court when the release date was imminent,” the judge noted. In addition, the court denied the request for pre-release screening, stating that such a move would amount to judicial censorship, which is impermissible under current law.Sanober Shaikh’s lawyer said the verdict would be appealed in the Bombay High Court.O Romeo is a gangster drama whose teaser hints at a gritty, edgy narrative filled with violence and romance, though the plot remains under wraps. Shahid Kapoor plays a gunman in the film.This project marks Vishal Bhardwaj’s third collaboration with Shahid Kapoor after Kamini and Haider. The film also features a strong cast including Tripty Dimri, Avinash Tiwari, Farida Jalal, Vikrant Massey, Nana Patekar, Tamannaah Bhatia and Disha Patani. The premiere of “O Romeo” is scheduled for February 13.
