A City Civil Court at Mumbai on Friday declined to halt the theatrical release of the upcoming Hindi film O Romeo, starring Shahid Kapoor and directed by Vishal Bhardwaj.
The court dismissed an interim application seeking a stay on the release, thereby permitting the film to hit cinemas as scheduled on February 13.
The application was moved by Sanober Irfan Shaikh, daughter of the late journalist and encounter informer Hussain Shaikh, also known as Hussain Ustara.
She alleged that the film was a biographical portrayal inspired by her father’s life and that it unlawfully appropriated his persona, resulting in defamation and violation of privacy and personality rights.
The suit was instituted against producer Sajid Nadiadwala through his company Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, director Vishal Bhardwaj, and other associated defendants.
Along with the stay, the plaintiff had also sought a pre-release screening of the film.
After hearing the parties, the Additional Sessions Judge HC Shende dismissed Notice of Motion No. 795 of 2026.
The Court made it clear that its observations were purely prima facie and would not affect the final adjudication of the suit.
The matter has now been posted to March 12 for the filing of written statements by the defendants.
Filmmaker’s Stand Before the Court
In a detailed affidavit filed on February 6, director Vishal Bhardwaj strongly opposed the plea and described the suit as false, vexatious, and misconceived. He raised objections regarding non-joinder of necessary parties, lack of locus standi, and unexplained delay.
It was pointed out that the film had been publicly announced in December 2024 and completed by August 2025, with extensive media coverage during this period.
According to the defence, the plaintiff approached the court at the eleventh hour with the intent to exert pressure and extract a monetary settlement.
The affidavit also referred to multiple legal notices allegedly issued by the plaintiff demanding compensation ranging between rupees two to five crores, which, according to the defence, demonstrated that damages were considered an adequate remedy.
Fiction With Disclaimer, Not a Biopic
Bhardwaj categorically stated that O Romeo is not a biopic of Hussain Ustara.
He submitted that the film is a work of fiction inspired only by broad themes from a published book and carries a prominent disclaimer clarifying that any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
The defence further contended that under settled principles of law, claims relating to defamation, privacy, and personality rights do not survive the death of an individual.
It was also highlighted that neither the deceased nor the plaintiff had ever challenged the 2011 book Mafia Queens of Mumbai despite its circulation for more than a decade.
With the interim relief declined, there is no legal restraint on the release of the film while the civil suit continues.
Case Details
- Case Title: Sanober Irfan Shaikh vs Sajid Nadiadwala through Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment and Others
- Case Number: Suit No. 257 of 2026, Notice of Motion No. 795 of 2026
- Court: City Civil Court, Mumbai
- Bench: Court Room No. 65, Additional Sessions Judge HC Shende
- Date of Order: 07 February 2026
- Next Date of Hearing: 12 March 2026 for filing written statements
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