Review: Mirzapur: The Movie: Massy, Violent and Swagger-Filled Extension of a Hugely Popular Franchise!
The Mirzapur franchise has become one of the most successful crime dramas in the Indian streaming space, turning its gritty portrayal of power, revenge, crime and gang wars into a pop-culture phenomenon. After three successful seasons, bringing the characters from the OTT series to the big screen was always a commercially tempting proposition. Mirzapur: The Movie attempts to cash in on the franchise’s established popularity, familiar characters and loyal fan base, delivering precisely the kind of mass entertainment its followers are likely to expect.
The film brings back Pankaj Tripathi as the formidable Kaleen Bhaiya, Ali Fazal as the hot-headed Guddu Pandit and Divyenndu as the much-loved Munna Tripathi, with the characters once again caught up in a brutal battle for power and supremacy. Ravi Kishan enters the fray as Babban Babua, a dangerous new challenger who threatens Kaleen Bhaiya’s hold over the underworld. Jitendra Kumar steps into the role of Bablu Pandit, previously played by Vikrant Massey, and blends comfortably into the ensemble. As old rivalries resurface and new power equations take shape, the film remains rooted in the franchise’s familiar world of crime, betrayal, revenge and raw ambition.
The story packs enough violence, black humour, swagger and larger-than-life moments to keep the Mirzapur faithful engaged. The screenplay, however, is stretched by the excessive runtime and occasionally gets bogged down in repetitive and predictable beats. The one liners are witty and effective and has the punch and earthy flavour. The action is staged with considerable impact, particularly as the narrative races towards a chaotic and intriguing climax. Director succeeds in maintaining the franchise’s familiar tone and mass appeal, although a tighter edit could have made the proceedings considerably more effective.
Pankaj Tripathi once again owns the screen with his menacing yet controlled performance, while Ali Fazal and Divyenndu slip effortlessly back into their iconic characters. Ravi Kishan makes a strong impression as the new antagonist, and Jitendra Kumar proves a comfortable addition to the ensemble. Shriya Pilgaonkar and Shweta Tripathi have a very limited screen time to make any impact.
Overall, Mirzapur: The Movie is an unabashedly massy, violent and swagger-filled extension of a hugely popular franchise.
Rating: ***
By Keerti Kadam