Vishal Bhardwaj and Shahid Kapoor have built a rare kind of trust, the sort that can survive risky subjects, bold violence, and left-field storytelling. So when their latest collaboration O Romeo failed to translate its buzz into a clear box office win, the conversation around the film quickly shifted from “Did it work?” to “Why is it so hard for films like this to find their audience today?”
As of March 12, 2026, Bhardwaj has now addressed that question head-on, framing O Romeo’s theatrical performance as part of a bigger industry problem rather than a single-film setback.
Vishal Bhardwaj’s Comment On Theatres Versus OTT For Good Scripts
In an interview with PTI, the filmmaker pointed to a growing stalemate between cinemas and streaming platforms that is squeezing mid-budget, story-forward films the most.
“Now there is a straight demarcation: ‘This is the subject; take it to OTT,’ and OTT people say, ‘No, we don’t want it; release it in theatres first, then we will take it here.’ Good films are getting beaten in the process,” Bhardwaj said.
He also reflected on the wider turbulence facing the business of cinema right now, adding, “We are in a very strange and difficult phase of filmmaking. I think it’s global.”
About O Romeo
O Romeo is a Hindi action thriller directed by Vishal Bhardwaj and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala under Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment. The film released in theatres on February 13, 2026. Shahid Kapoor leads the film as Hussain Ustara, with Triptii Dimri playing Afsha. The cast also includes Avinash Tiwary, Nana Patekar, Farida Jalal, Tamannaah Bhatia, Disha Patani, and Vikrant Massey in a special appearance.
Set against a gritty Mumbai underworld backdrop, O Romeo follows a violent, emotionally charged relationship where revenge and romance collide. The film’s plot draws inspiration from S. Hussain Zaidi’s book Mafia Queens of Mumbai.
On the box office front, O Romeo collected a total gross of Rs. 83.71 crore up to Day 26, as per Sacnilk.
Shahid Kapoor’s Recent And Upcoming Work
Before O Romeo, Shahid was seen in Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya (2024), a romantic sci-fi comedy opposite Kriti Sanon that performed as a commercial success and later premiered on Prime Video. He also headlined the action thriller Bloody Daddy (2023), which released on JioCinema, and made a strong OTT impact with the crime series Farzi (2023) on Prime Video.
With O Romeo now in theatres, the next big update for fans will be his upcoming slate, including Deva (announced) and Farzi Season 2 (in the works), as he continues balancing theatrical tentpoles with streaming-driven storytelling.
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