Is O Romeo Based On True Events? All About Hussain Ustara And Sapna Didi's Alliance And Revenge

The trailer of Shahid Kapoor’s much-awaited film, O Romeo, has been released, and it has surely raised many expectations. The film features Shahid Kapoor as ‘Hussain Ustara’, while Triptii Dimri will be seen as ‘Sapna Didi’. The Vishal Bharadwaj film is reported to be inspired by true events and the deadly alliance of Ustara and Sapna Didi.

Who was Hussain Ustara, the character portrayed by Shahid Kapoor in O Romeo?

Born as Hussain Sheikh, Ustara spent most of his life in crime-ridden areas of Mumbai. As per multiple reports, he was driven by various gangs. His initiation in the world of crime began with street brawls and finally led to becoming a contract killer, renowned for his crafted killing methods. In O Romeo, Shahid Kapoor’s character is reportedly inspired by Hussain Ustara.

Hussain Ustara’s rivalry with underworld don, Dawood Ibrahim, was one of the most talked-about feuds in Mumbai. According to various reports, Ustara operated from Bapu Khote Street and controlled the Badani Building. Unlike the other gangsters, Ustara’s style was very different. He dressed simply, spoke politely, and was even calm.

Why was Hussain Sheikh called ‘Ustara’?

Hussain Sheikh got the name ‘Ustara’ after he got into an altercation where he struck his opponent with a serious, sharp wound with a Ustara (scalpel). The wound was so precise and deep that even doctors were stunned to see it and wondered how to operate on it. Writer, S Hussain Zaidi, in his book, Dongri to Dubai, wrote:

“It is said that a long incision had been made from shoulder to bottom. The doctors were astonished to see such a cut. They were unsure how to proceed with the operation."

Over time, Ustara became one of the most dreaded contract killers. As per Zaidi, Ustara was “fear in human form.” However, there were certain things that set Ustara apart from the other killers. Ustara was way ahead of his time as he had installed CCTV cameras in his area of operation in 1995. His operational style was also very unique, as he had a team of people with specialised skills. Some could tap phones, while others could lip-read from a long distance.

Who was Sapna Didi, and how did Hussain Ustara help her?

The role of ‘Sapna Didi’ was played by Triptii Dimri, who stunned the audience with her first look as a simple yet fierce woman. 'Sapna Didi' was born as Ashraf Khan, and her husband, Mehmood Khan, was allegedly killed by Dawood Ibrahim’s gang. As a result, Ashraf sets a path of revenge and reached at Ustara’s doorstep for help.

She believed in Ustara, as he trained her in weapon handling and motorbike riding. They set together and formed a lethal alliance against Dawood Ibrahim. It was reported that Sapna had plotted a plan to assassinate Dawood during an India-Pakistan match in Sharjah. The plan was not executed and was leaked.

But in 1992, Dawood’s men tracked Sapna down in her Mumbai home and attacked her brutally by stabbing her multiple times. In the film, Shahid, who plays Hussain Ustara, falls in love with Ashraf, played by Triptii Dimri. As per the film's trailer and multiple reports, Ustara and Ashraf fell in love.

Hussain Ustara’s daughter denies any romantic connection between him and Sapna Didi

A few days ago, the first song, titled Hum To Tere Hi Liye, from O Romeo was released, and it captured the love story of Shahid Kapoor and Triptii Dimri. In an interview with News18, Ustara’s daughter, Sanobar, claimed that her father and Sapna Didi were not romantically connected and were rather like siblings. In her words:

“The story portrayed in the film is also wrong. My father had trained Sapna didi. She was like a sister to him. She used to come to our home and to our office. Sapna didi had no one. She was alone when her husband was killed. She has no children. She went everywhere asking for help – to cleanse the city off crime – but it was only my baba who helped her. Both of them worked against criminals. Unka tareeka galat tha but this also happened 28 years ago. As his family, our concern is ki unki image kharab ho rahi hai.”

In the same interaction, Hussain Ustara’s daughter also revealed that her father was not a gangster and only helped people. She confirmed that Hussain wasn’t a criminal and had no criminal record. Apart from Shahid Kapoor and Triptii Dimri, O Romeo features Nana Patekar, Vikrant Massey, Disha Patani, Avinash Tiwary, Tamannaah Bhatia and Farida Jalal.

Do you also feel that Shahid Kapoor’s O Romeo is based on the alliance of Hussain Ustara and Sapna Didi?

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