What is the story about?
Shahid Kapoor's O'Romeo is one of the most-awaited films of 2026. Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, the action-thriller's teaser was recently released online.
The makers introduced the entire star cast, including Disha Patani, Triptii Dimri, and others. After O'Romeo teaser was released, netizens wondered why Randeep Hooda was missing from it. And now, it has been reported that Randeep backed out of the movie before the shoot commenced. According to a media report, the actor quit the film due to personal reasons.
Why did Randeep Hooda back out of O'Romeo?
Randeep was rumoured to play the role of a villain in Shahid's O'Romeo. However, the actor quit the project reportedly due to personal reasons.
"Randeep had begun preliminary prep for the role. Unfortunately, a personal crisis emerged right before he was to shoot his portions. This was around the time of Jaat’s [2025] release last April; he was navigating important developments in his personal life and Lin’s [Laishram, his wife] health. Understandably, giving time to his personal commitments took precedence," a source told Mid-Day.
It is also reported that producer Sajid Nadiadwala and Vishal Bhardwaj's decision to exit the project and their parting was amicable. And since the makers were reportedly running on a tight schedule, they swiftly cast another actor. And that's how Avinash Tiwary came on-board. "The production couldn’t afford a major delay. Avinash fit the brief, and was available to step into the role at a short notice," the source added.
More about O'Romeo
Meanwhile, the star cast of O'Romeo includes Shahid, Triptii, Avinash, Nana Patekar, Disha, Vikrant Massey, Farida Jalal and Tamannaah Bhatia. In the film, Shahid plays the role of Ustara while Triptii essays the character of Afsha. Nana Patekar will be seen as Ismail Khan and Avinash essays the character of Jalal.
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