Mohit Malik’s portrayal of Birju Lohar in Mirzapur: The Movie may have had limited screen time, but the actor has managed to leave a strong impression. In an exclusive conversation with mid-day, Malik opened up about playing the conflicted character, his intense fight sequence with Pankaj Tripathi, a deleted scene involving letters written for Beena, and the personal connection he shared with the song featured in the film.
Mohit Malik on Birju’s viral tattoo
One of the most talked-about details has been Birju’s tattoo of Beena’s nails. Malik revealed that the tattoo has followed him beyond the film. “That tattoo has become so famous. People are asking me everywhere I go, that tattoo is still there. It’s not there, it’s for the character,” he said. Explaining its deeper significance, he added, “People have given so much love and that tattoo is such a great thought. If you go deeper and think about it, because he was fighting against his fate. It is like a manifestation for him, because he wants Beena, his first love.”
For Malik, the tattoo represented Birju’s determination to reclaim his love despite the odds. “Even if the fate is not with you, but he will make sure that things will happen according to what he wants. So that tattoo of Beena’s nails reminds him that he has to win her back,” he explained.
Recalls Pankaj Tripathi getting scared
Among his most memorable moments was Birju’s confrontation with Pankaj Tripathi’s character. Calling it a conflict between love and loyalty, Malik said, “That was a conflicted scene because he wants to go and it’s actually love versus loyalty.” He added that Birju leaves Mumtaz because the opportunity to kill his target presents itself.
Despite having only around 13 minutes in the 197-minute film, Malik was determined to make the character count. “I just have like 13 odd minutes in the film, in the whole film, 197 minutes or 13 minutes. And I just wanted to be sure and make sure that whoever comes out of the theatre will remember Birju. My intention was to give everything to Birju,” he said.
The actor’s first day on set was also his character’s final scene. “The last scene of the film is my first scene. By the way, that’s the first day of my shoot,” he revealed. His first fight sequence was with Tripathi. “I was very nervous in the beginning because there was a fight sequence with Pankaj Tripathi,” he recalled. “That is the moment when I’m unleashed. I just want to go for a kill.” Malik said the intensity became so real that Tripathi got scared and even told him during one shot, “One more will happen, Mohit.”
Malik also revealed that he had written letters for Beena as part of his preparation. “In fact, I have written letters. I have a habit of writing journals for the character,” he said. The letters were ultimately shot but deleted because, as he recalled, the makers felt, “We don’t need it more. This is so much. We already have got it.”
The song in the film also held deep personal significance. “I am very vulnerable. That song has been with me since my childhood,” Malik said, recalling how he heard Sikh devotional music while growing up. “I didn’t know that this song will become my song or Beena’s song,” he added.