Director Gurmmeet Singh, who has been at the helm of Mirzapur franchise, speaks to The Free Press Journal about the theatrical gamble, the pressure of living up to the show's legacy, criticism over violence, and the possibility of a sequel. Excerpts:
Mirzapur was born on OTT. Now the film has crossed Rs 300 crore in theatres. Did you underestimate how badly people wanted to experience Mirzapur on the big screen?
I don't think anyone could've imagined the response we have received. The fandom for the franchise was huge, but to see them arrive in cinemas and wholeheartedly enjoy the film has been an unbelievable experience and one that we will always cherish.
How did the idea of making Mirzapur: The Movie come about?
The impact of Mirzapur in a community viewing setting was actually seeded in our minds even before the release of the first season. Two episodes of Season 1 premiered at the MAMI festival in 2018 and the rapturous response the show got made it clear that this was a world that could be theatre-worthy. Since 2019, Ritesh Sidhwani has been constantly telling Puneet (writer) and me that Mirzapur needs a big screen iteration and we finally managed to crack that now.
There was always a risk that people would say, 'Why pay for something I already get on OTT?' What do you think convinced people to watch it in theatres?
The characters are iconic, they have become part of pop culture and we hoped if the teaser or trailer and songs can spark the theatrical desire then they would come. We were fortunate that our campaign was very young and energetic.
Was making a theatrical Mirzapur actually harder than making a season because the audience already knows the language, characters and world so well?
It's Yin and Yang. Our strengths are our weaknesses and vice versa. So while the familiarity allowed us to hit the ground running, we had to make sure that the experience was fresh and while we wanted to tell a new story, we had to keep the nostalgia quotient high as well.
Are you planning to make the film's sequel?
Immediate nahin soche hain, par sochenge.
Do you think the film’s box-office performance has put pressure on you to make the next Mirzapur outing even bigger?
We look at it as an opportunity, and the bigger the opportunity the more excited we are.
The franchise has a massive fan base, but also critics who say it glorifies violence. How do you respond to that criticism?
Mirzapur is a gangster drama set in the rooted heartland. Thematically it's dealing with people vying for power and the consequences they face are grave. Yet, no one who enters this world of violence is rewarded with anything but loss, heartbreak or grief. So if anything it reminds us that crime doesn't pay.
There were reports that the song Shoorveer will be removed from the film. Is it true?
That's a question best answered by the studio.
Two completely different kinds of films -- Mirzapur and Hanuman Ansh -- are currently working at the box office. Your comments.
It's absolutely amazing considering that they are drastically different genres. It just puts so much faith in the cine goers, confirming that as long as they like what they see, they will keep the cinema halls full.
What are you planning to shoot next?
I have a new drama series that will release soon called Pan Parda Zarda which I'm very excited about. Apart from that the coming year will lean heavily into production with my new Production House 'Cheetah on the Moon' as we are all set to go on floors with two streaming shows and a feature film.
