The trailer launch event of Shahid Kapoor's  O’Romeo, which was meant to be a routine promotional event into a talking point online.

Veteran actor Nana Patekar walked out of the launch event in Mumbai on Wednesday after waiting for more than an hour for his co-stars Shahid Kapoor and Triptii Dimri to arrive. 

The 75-year-old, who plays one of the lead roles, was among the first to reach the venue at the scheduled time but left before the event officially began. 

His exit was noticed almost immediately, with fans and media questioning what had gone wrong behind the scenes.

Director Vishal Bhardwaj tried to play down the situation with humour. 

Speaking to reporters, he described the Tadka actor as someone who “bullies” but also entertains. “Nana has left the event, yet I would like to speak about him. Nana is like the naughtiest child in a classroom - the kid who bullies people and also entertains the most,” he said.

He added, “But because we made him wait for an hour, he stood up in his signature style and left the event. We didn’t feel bad about it because we know this is what makes Nana, Nana Patekar.”

The incident quickly spread on social media, where many users backed Patekar, saying punctuality should matter regardless of seniority or stardom. 

Others questioned the event management, pointing to poor coordination and delays as a common problem in film promotions.

O’Romeo marks Shahid Kapoor’s reunion with Bhardwaj after Kaminey and Haider. The film also stars Farida Jalal, Avinash Tiwary, Tamannaah Bhatia and Vikrant Massey, and is inspired by true events. It is scheduled to release in cinemas on February 13.