Why Kartik Aaryan said no to Vishal Bhardwaj's 'O Romeo'
Kartik Aaryan "politely turned down" the lead in Vishal Bhardwaj's gangster drama O Romeo because he wasn't ready to play an anti-hero this early in his career.
The role then went to Shahid Kapoor, who's teamed up with Bhardwaj before on films like Kaminey and Haider.
What's the story behind the casting?
Back in 2024, Bhardwaj approached Aaryan for a character inspired by Hussain Ustara, with Sajid Nadiadwala producing. After some initial talks, Aaryan stepped away and Kapoor took over.
The teaser dropped this week, hinting at a revenge romance based on true events—think unrequited love and some pretty intense consequences.
Where does this fit into Aaryan's career?
Aaryan has mostly stuck to romantic or dramatic leads so far, only dipping into darker roles with Freddy in 2022.
The O Romeo teaser now shows off Kapoor as a tattooed anti-hero alongside a stacked cast including Triptii Dimri, Nana Patekar, Disha Patani, Vikrant Massey, and more.