Shahid Kapoor’s O Romeo Gets ‘A’ Certificate; Violent Scenes Trimmed, Runtime Nearly 3 Hours

Shahid Kapoor’s upcoming film O Romeo has secured an ‘A’ certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), but not without a series of modifications. According to a report by Bollywood Hungama, the Vishal Bhardwaj directorial underwent dialogue adjustments and edits to violent visuals before receiving clearance. The film, also starring Triptii Dimri, is now set for release with a runtime that stretches close to three hours.

CBFC Certification Brings Dialogue Tweaks And Cuts

The certification process reportedly involved changes to specific lines and wording within the film. Among the alterations, the board asked the makers to replace the word “item” with “Kumari”. In another instance, a word in a sequence was muted, while a separate portion required the removal of what was deemed

an inappropriate term. Notably, no cuts were directed in the romantic or intimate scenes between characters.

Edits were, however, applied to moments depicting violence. A close-up shot involving throat cutting was shortened by about three seconds, effectively reducing its impact by roughly 20 per cent. Similarly, a scene involving a woman slapping someone was trimmed by the same proportion. The board also instructed the addition and extension of anti-tobacco and anti-smoking disclaimers, complete with voice-overs and tickers. These additions collectively extended the film’s runtime by one minute and 57 seconds.

Nearly Three Hours Long Amid Release And Legal Row

The censor certificate, issued on February 11, lists the film’s duration as 178.41 minutes — approximately 2 hours, 58 minutes and 41 seconds. The report states that this makes O Romeo the longest collaboration between Shahid Kapoor and filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj. It also marks Shahid’s fourth film to receive an A rating after Kaminey, Udta Punjab and Kabir Singh.

Directed by Bhardwaj and produced by Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, the film features an ensemble cast that includes Vikrant Massey, Tamannaah Bhatia, Avinash Tiwary, Disha Patani, Farida Jalal and Nana Patekar. Scheduled for release during Valentine’s Week on February 13, the narrative centres on a turbulent love story exploring obsession, heartbreak and consequences shaped by emotional extremes. The film draws inspiration from a chapter in Hussain Zaidi’s book Mafia Queens of Mumbai, focusing on gangster Hussain Ustara, portrayed by Shahid Kapoor.

Ahead of release, the project became embroiled in controversy after Sanober Shaikh, daughter of the late Hussain Ustara, filed a civil suit claiming the film was based on her father’s life without her consent. The suit named producer Sajid Nadiadwala, director Vishal Bhardwaj and author Hussain Zaidi. However, a Mumbai court declined to halt the release, denying interim relief and allowing the film to proceed toward its theatrical debut.