‘O’Romeo’ Ratings Disabled: A First for Hindi Cinema

New Delhi, February 16, 2026: In a significant move that has sparked widespread debate across the Indian film industry, the Shahid Kapoor and Triptii Dimri starrer ‘O’Romeo’ has become the first Hindi film to have its audience ratings and reviews disabled on the popular ticketing platform, BookMyShow.

The decision follows a court order obtained by the film’s producers, marking a historic shift in how Bollywood deals with digital reception and the growing phenomenon of “review bombing.”

A Legal Shield Against “Review Bombing”

Since its release on February 13, 2026, directed by the acclaimed Vishal Bhardwaj, ‘O’Romeo’ has been at the center of a digital tug-of-war. The film initially debuted with an audience rating of 6.8, which slightly climbed to 7.0 by the following Saturday. However, users soon noticed that the entire rating and review section had vanished from the platform.

“Reviews and ratings disabled as per court order.”

Industry insiders suggest that the makers, Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, moved the court to curb “organized negative campaigns.” These campaigns, often referred to as review bombing, involve coordinated efforts to tank a film’s rating for reasons that sometimes have little to do with the cinematic quality of the project.

The Growing Trend of Regulatory Action

While this is a first for a Hindi-language film, it follows a similar precedent set in the Telugu film industry earlier this year. In January, ratings were disabled for the Chiranjeevi-starrer Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu to prevent malicious digital attacks.

The move highlights a growing frustration among producers who argue that digital platforms can be weaponized to manipulate “word-of-mouth” before a film has had a fair chance to find its audience.

Box Office Performance and Critical Reception

Despite the controversy surrounding its online metrics, ‘O’Romeo’ has shown resilience at the box office.

• Opening Day: Collected approximately ₹8.25—₹9 crore.
• Day Two Growth: Witnessed a significant 61% jump, bringing its two-day total to over ₹23.5 crore.
• Genre & Background: Based on a chapter from Hussain Zaidi’s Mafia Queens of Mumbai, the film is a 1990s-set crime thriller featuring an ensemble cast including Vikrant Massey, Nana Patekar, Tamannaah Bhatia, and Avinash Tiwary.

While critics have praised the atmospheric direction of Vishal Bhardwaj and the “intense” chemistry between Shahid Kapoor (playing the hitman Ustara) and Triptii Dimri (playing Afsha), some have pointed toward the film’s nearly three-hour runtime as a potential hurdle.

Impact on the Industry

The disabling of ratings on a major platform like BookMyShow raises critical questions about transparency and consumer rights.

• Pro-Industry View: Producers argue that protecting a high-budget film (estimated at ₹125—150 crore) from bad-faith digital sabotage is necessary for the industry’s survival.
• Audience View: Moviegoers often rely on these ratings to decide whether to spend their hard-earned money, and the removal of this feature is seen by some as a blow to democratic feedback.

As ‘O’Romeo’ continues its theatrical run, the industry will be watching closely to see if this legal strategy becomes a standard blueprint for major releases facing online backlash. For now, the “Romeo” of Bollywood has found a way to silence the critics—at least on the apps.