The much-loved Mirzapur is set to make a massive leap from the OTT space to the big screen with Mirzapur: The Movie, slated for release in September. The film will mark the return of some memorable characters, including Ali Fazal as Guddu Pandit. The actor revealed that many in the industry had advised him against signing the series. However, it went on to earn him widespread recognition.
Ali Fazal recalls getting warned against signing Mirzapur
The 39-year-old actor said he recently got to know that his Fukrey director, Mrighdeep Singh Lamba, had recommended his name to the makers of Mirzapur. At that time, Fazal, who was establishing himself in Hindi cinema and had also appeared in a couple of Hollywood films, said he was advised by many to stay away from the project.
In an interview with PTI, Ali said, “I was scared at that time. I did not know what the format would be. It was the first time that the first few shows were being made (in India). The filmmakers were telling me, ‘What are you doing (by saying yes)?’ They said, ‘Do films.'”
“It’s the first time in India that a show is being transformed into a film. It’s a national-level experiment that we are doing. The story and the characters are all good. We are excited to share every (promotional) asset,” Ali told PTI in an interview.
About Mirzapur
Launched in 2018, Mirzapur emerged as one of India’s most popular streaming shows with its gritty portrayal of crime, politics, and power struggles in Uttar Pradesh. It was followed by two more seasons, which were equally praised by critics and fans. Fazal starred alongside an ensemble cast of Pankaj Tripathi, Divyenndu, Shweta Tripathi, Rasika Dugal, Vijay Varma, Isha Talwar, Harshita Gaur, and Shriya Pilgaonkar.
The official teaser of Mirzapur: The Movie was unveiled earlier this week, and it promises to continue the saga on a larger cinematic scale. Besides Fazal, actors Divyenndu and Pankaj Tripathi are returning in their fan-favourite avatars of Munna Tripathi and Kaleen Bhaiya. They are joined by Jitendra Kumar, who takes over the role of Bablu Pandit, played by Vikrant Massey in the first season, while Ravi Kishan has been introduced as another important variable in the story.
Fazal is currently receiving praise for his performance in the new series Raakh. He will next be seen in Batwara 1947, starring Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta.