Who was Hussain Ustara? The razor wielder who ‘inspired’ Shahid Kapoor’s ‘O’ Romeo’
Hussain Ustara, known as a contract killer in Mumbai, appears in Vishal Bhardwaj’s O’Romeo. His family has filed a defamation suit raising questions over how he has been portrayed in the film.
Mumbai’s underworld has always had a strange fascination for writers, journalists and filmmakers. One of the many names emerging from the underbelly of Mumbai is Hussain Shaikh, popularly known as Hussain Ustara, who has been in the news ever since the teaser of Vishal Bhardwaj’s new film. hey romeo Dropped. His sisters have filed a defamation case of Rs 1 crore against the producer of the film. Directed by Bhardwaj, the film stars Shahid Kapoor, who is reportedly playing the role of Hussain Ustara in the film.
Hussain Ustara was not a criminal running an empire. he was reportedly a Betel (Contract) assassin known for his accuracy and brutality. His weapon of choice was the barber’s razor, called razor in Hindi, which eventually became his identity.
The story of Ustara is mentioned in detail in the book of crime journalist and crime writer Hussain Zaidi. The Dangerous Dozen: Hitmen of the Mumbai Underworld. Zaidi calls him afraid as a human being. The razor usually used for shaving became a symbol of control and terror in his hands.
His descent into the world of crime started early. At just 15 or 16, when most teenagers were still figuring out life, Hussain had already fallen in with the wrong crowd. One incident changed everything. During a street fight, he took out a barber’s razor and slashed a boy’s torso with a sharp, surgical move. That moment earned him the nickname “Ustara” – and sealed his reputation.
Over the next two decades, Ustara became a well-known name in the criminal world of Mumbai. According to Zaidi, he operated from Bapu Khote Street, completely controlling the Badani Building. Amazingly ahead of his time, he had installed CCTV cameras in his area as early as 1995. He wore simple clothes, spoke politely and remained calm – a sharp contrast to the violence he presented.
Talking about his meeting with Ustara, Zaidi recalled in one of his blogs that he enjoyed showing off. In front of him were two automatic Mauser pistols (1914 model) and three mobile phones. “This was in 1996, when mobile phones were extremely expensive – Rs 6 per minute for both incoming and outgoing calls,” Zaidi said.
Ustara was also known for running a well-organized, unusual network. He surrounded himself with people who had special skills – some could listen in on phone cross-connections, others could lip-read from a distance. It was a system built on control, information and fear.
The most talked about chapter of his life was his rivalry with Dawood Ibrahim. Their feud stemmed from internecine wars at a time when Mumbai’s underworld was filled with competing gangs. While Dawood set out to build a global network, Ustara remained locally rooted, remembered as a symbol of a particularly violent phase in the city’s history.
His influence reportedly also extended to Sapna Didi, born Ashraf Khan, whose husband was killed by Dawood’s gang. Seeking revenge, he turned to Ustara, who trained him in combat, weapons, and motorcycle riding. Together, they became a deadly force that showed another side of Ustara – that of a master and strategist.
Watch the teaser of ‘O Romeo’ here:
Today, the story of Hussain Ustara has found new life in pop culture. Shahid Kapoor is going to play a character named Ustara in Vishal Bhardwaj’s upcoming film. hey romeo. Although the film is not directly a biopic, it is said to be based on real-life events. The teaser shows Kapoor wielding a razor, a clear nod to the legend of Usatra.
Hussain Ustara never built an empire like Dawood Ibrahim. But his story still persists. In a city once ruled by fear and violence, he is a reminder of a time when a single man with a razor could command respect, inspire terror and leave a lasting mark on Mumbai’s underworld history.