Just ten days before its grand theatrical arrival, the highly anticipated action-thriller O Romeo has hit a significant legal roadblock. Sanober Shaikh, the daughter of the late Hussain Shaikh—widely known as the feared gangster Hussain Ustara—filed a civil suit in a Mumbai court on Monday, seeking an immediate ban on the film’s release.
Shaikh alleges that the film, which features Shahid Kapoor in a dark and violent avatar, serves as an unauthorized and inaccurate biographical portrayal of her father. The lawsuit targets the industry’s heavyweights, naming producer Sajid Nadiadwala, director Vishal Bhardwaj, and renowned crime journalist-author Hussain Zaidi as defendants.
Sanober Shaikh’s legal move seeks both temporary and permanent injunctions against the movie’s screening. In her petition, filed through advocate D.V. Saroj, she asserts that the makers did not obtain any prior consent from the family before dramatizing her father’s life for commercial gain.
The suit claims that the film “besmirches the character of a dead person” and exploits a “human tragedy” for profit. Shaikh argues that the promotional material, including the teaser and trailer launched in January, clearly points to her father’s life story, despite the filmmakers’ claims that the project is a work of fiction.
The crux of the legal battle lies in the portrayal of Hussain Ustara’s character. While the film—inspired by a chapter from Hussain Zaidi’s acclaimed book Mafia Queens of Mumbai—reportedly depicts Ustara as a ruthless, razor-wielding hitman and rival to Dawood Ibrahim, Sanober Shaikh presents a starkly different version.
In her suit, Shaikh insists that her father was not merely a “gangster.” She highlights his contributions to law enforcement, claiming he worked as a police informer and aided intelligence sleuths in tracking down dangerous criminals across India.
“The film portrays my father falsely. He was a man who risked his life to help the Mumbai Police prevent crimes,” Shaikh stated in her plea.
She further supported her claim by citing historical records, including a 1994 letter from the Commissioner of Police that reportedly approved a bulletproof jacket for Ustara due to the threats he faced for opposing the D-Company.
The civil suit specifically names the core creative team behind O Romeo. Director Vishal Bhardwaj, known for his gritty adaptations of crime literature, previously stated at the trailer launch that the film is based on the rights acquired from Hussain Zaidi’s book. Bhardwaj emphasized that while the “germ of the idea” comes from the book, the film includes significant fictional elements.
However, Shaikh argues that the “wrongful appropriation” of her father’s identity for private gain will cause “irreparable injury” to her family’s reputation and the future of her children.
To bolster her claim that the film is directly linked to her father, Sanober Shaikh submitted several pieces of evidence to the court. A key highlight is a link to a recent podcast interview featuring a former high-ranking police officer. In the interview, the officer reportedly draws direct parallels between the narrative of O Romeo and the real-life exploits and demise of Hussain Ustara.
The plaintiff argues that such public connections prove the film is not a “pure work of fiction” as claimed by Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, but a calculated biographical sketch hidden behind a fictional label.
For Shahid Kapoor, O Romeo represents a critical theatrical comeback. Following the massive success of Kabir Singh and his subsequent ventures into digital platforms, this film—his fourth collaboration with Bhardwaj after Kaminey, Haider, and Rangoon—is projected to be a major box office hit.
The film also stars a massive ensemble including Triptii Dimri, Nana Patekar, and Vikrant Massey. A stay on the release at this late stage would mean a logistical and financial nightmare for the producers, who have already invested heavily in a multi-city promotional campaign.
The Mumbai civil court has scheduled the matter for a crucial hearing on Friday, February 6, 2026. The court will decide whether to grant a stay on the release or allow the film to hit screens as scheduled on February 13.
Legal experts suggest the court may ask for a special screening for a court-appointed commissioner to verify the extent of the biographical similarities. As the countdown to Valentine’s weekend begins, the fate of O Romeo hangs in the balance.
