entertainment

February 16, 2026

O’Romeo review

After hit takes on Macbeth, Othello and Hamlet, Vishal Bhardwaj’s Romeo and Juliet adaptation sees dead-eyed lovers drag one another to gutter and grave

O’Romeo review

TL;DR

  • Vishal Bhardwaj, known for Shakespearean adaptations like Macbeth, Othello, and Hamlet, has directed a new Romeo and Juliet adaptation.
  • The film is based on a true-crime story from 'Mafia Queens of Mumbai', aligning with a recent trend in Bollywood towards more lurid content.
  • The adaptation is set in the Mumbai underworld of the 1990s, featuring a hitman Romeo and a widow Juliet with a hitlist.
  • The lovers become enemies of powerful figures after Romeo saves Juliet during an assassination attempt.
  • While the film has strong performances and visual elements, it is criticized for its jarring tonal shifts and grim narrative.
  • The overall tone is described as oscillating between crude and emotionally inert, focusing on obsession and abjection.

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