The long-awaited first look teaser of Vishal Bhardwaj’s O Romeo dropped on Saturday and instantly set social media abuzz. Dark, gritty, and visually arresting, the teaser has been widely praised for its
mood and ambition. However, what truly caught the internet’s attention was the line stating that the film is “inspired by true events,” prompting viewers to dig deeper into what — or rather, who — the story might be drawing from.
Almost immediately, speculation erupted over whether O Romeo is rooted in the real-life underworld saga involving gangster Hussain Ustara, his rival Dawood Ibrahim, and the mysterious and tragic figure of Sapna Didi.
Is O Romeo Based On Real-Life Gangster Figures?
Several netizens were quick to connect the dots. One X (formerly Twitter) user speculated that Shahid Kapoor could be portraying Hussain Ustara, a known rival of Dawood Ibrahim, while Triptii Dimri might be playing Sapna Didi — a woman whose husband was allegedly killed by Dawood, pushing her toward a path of vengeance.
So Shahid is playing Hussain Ustra, a rival of Dawood Ibrahim.
Tripti is playing Sapna Didi, whose husband was killed by Ibrahim. She teams up with Ustra against him. Carried out assassination attempts but failed, ultimately leading to her death at the hands of Dawood's men.… pic.twitter.com/zoowUKsyU0
— Warrior (@RKzWarrior) January 10, 2026
FRAMES from #ORomeo…🎬
A story based on real life gangster, Hussain Ustara (#ShahidKapoor)…rival to Dawood Ibrahim…Sapna Didi (#TriptiiDimri) a woman seeking vengeance on Dawood after he kills her husband…Hussain partners with Sapna Didi, but she is killed when they try… pic.twitter.com/UGn3HzN5f0
— CHANGU MANGU TALKS (@changuxmangu) January 10, 2026
The user further outlined a grim trajectory, suggesting that Sapna Didi teams up with Ustara to assassinate Dawood, only for the attempts to fail and ultimately result in her death at the hands of Dawood’s men. “Expecting a firecracker of a movie given the talent involved,” the post concluded.
Another user echoed a similar theory, breaking down specific frames from the teaser and assigning real-life parallels to Shahid Kapoor’s and Triptii Dimri’s characters. According to this interpretation, O Romeo could be charting a doomed alliance driven by revenge, betrayal, and the brutal politics of the underworld.
Triptii Dimri’s Look As ‘Sapna Didi’ Wins Praise
Amid the speculation, Triptii Dimri’s appearance in the teaser has also been drawing attention. One fan described her first look as “beautiful” while noting that the role appears to be “meaty,” hinting at emotional depth and narrative weight.
First look of tripti dimri as "sapna didi" in vishal bharadwaj's #ORomeo. She looks so beautiful and the role's gonna be meaty lesssooo 💃pic.twitter.com/yosS4hS0R3
— 🍓 (@fleabag___) January 10, 2026
Reddit discussions have also joined the conversation, with users dissecting teaser frames and debating which characters might be inspired by real-life figures, though no official confirmation has been made by the filmmakers.
Ensemble Cast Adds To The Buzz
Beyond Shahid Kapoor and Triptii Dimri, O Romeo boasts an impressive ensemble cast that includes Nana Patekar, Vikrant Massey, Tamannaah Bhatia, Disha Patani, Avinash Tiwary, and Farida Jalal. The teaser briefly showcases each of them, offering just enough to heighten curiosity without revealing too much.
Rumoured characters in O’Romeo:
byu/Interesting-Take781 inBollyBlindsNGossip
With Vishal Bhardwaj at the helm, known for his layered storytelling and morally complex characters, expectations are running high.
Release Date And Box Office Clash
O Romeo is scheduled to hit theatres on February 13, 2026. The film is set to face direct box-office competition from Tu Ya Main, starring Adarsh Gourav and Shanaya Kapoor.
Whether O Romeo is directly inspired by specific real-life figures or merely draws from the broader underworld milieu remains to be seen. For now, the teaser has done exactly what it was meant to do — spark intrigue, debate, and sky-high anticipation.
