Ali Fazal still remembers how he felt scared to step into the world of Mirzapur, the hinterland crime drama series which became a cult of its own and is now all set to explode on the big screen in a movie version.
The actor, who reprises his role of Guddu Pandit, the bodybuilder-turned-gangster in Mirzapur: The Movie, is excited for the buzz surrounding the show’s cinematic extension. The movie will explore an untold chapter from the first season and also bring back many key characters.
“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 Fazal told PTI in an interview.
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 the critics and fans.
Ali Fazal starred alongside an ensemble cast of Pankaj Tripathi, Divyenndu, Shweta Tripathi, Rasika Dugal, Vijay Varma, Isha Talwar, Harshita Gaur and Shriya Pilgaonkar in the series, created by Puneet Krishna and Karan Anshuman.
The 39-year-old actor said he recently got to know that his Fukrey director Mrighdeep Singh Lamba recommended his name to the makers of Mirzapur, which is produced by Excel Entertainment.
Ali 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.
“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 was I doing (by saying yes). They said, ‘do films,'” he said.
Story continues below this ad
Having worked in the West, Fazal said he could see the industry was evolving and that helped him in saying yes.
“I saw this changing era of OTT and shows. I felt a revolution was about to come. The way the script was written by Puneet Krishna, the world he has made of Mirzapur, it was really commendable. We had an idea about the hinterland and we would listen to stories, but I had never seen that place this way.”
Looking back, Ali Fazal believes the show gave him the space to play on his strengths.
“Nobody could picture me as that character. It has been quite the journey,” he added.
Story continues below this ad
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, who was played by Vikrant Massey in the first season, while Ravi Kishan has been introduced as another important variable in the story.
Asked whether Mirzapur has spoiled hinterland dramas for others with its sweeping popularity, Ali Fazal said that’s always the case with something that clicks.
Story continues below this ad
He gave the example of filmmaker Anurag Kashyap’s two-part crime epic Gangs of Wasseypur.
“Gangs of Wasseypur was cult cinema. Many people took it from there. They made great characters. I met my wife (Richa Chadha) but that’s a different story. That’s what happened in Mirzapur. The canvas was like that. People got attached to the characters.”
While he awaits the release of Mirzapur: The Movie on September 4, Fazal is currently receiving praise for his performance in the new series Raakh, directed by Prosit Roy.
The eight-episode crime drama, a 1970s set story inspired by the real-life case of murderers Ranga-Billa, features the actor as a conscientious police sub-inspector Jayprakash Jatav, who is bogged down by the system in his quest to find the killers of two innocent teens.
Story continues below this ad
Ali Fazal said it was a challenging series to do as one can never imagine the pain that a family goes through when a crime like this takes place. He wanted to play the character of a cop as someone who almost feels diminished.
The actor said, “There can be 10 other ways to play this character. I really wanted to understand the human condition behind this uniform. How, despite having so much power in that little frame, a society can shape you. Even structurally in the show, I am large. But he is almost shy of his presence in society.”
The show is set in Delhi during the post-Emergency period and Ali said they wanted to stay true to the era of a politically sensitive time.
“This is a study of that time… All the paperwork was done in a way that was later changed. Everyone’s language was very strong. Everyone spoke in Hindustani. No matter where you are from, your language was very correct. These were the small points that I found very interesting because at that time, there was no technology and no shortcuts,” he said.
Ali Fazal praised co-actors Ramandeep Yadav and Akash Ahuja’s performance as the two murderers in the show that also features Aamir Bashir and Sonali Bendre.
Story continues below this ad
“The way they have played the roles of these two criminals, it is mind-blowing. It is also a study in choices an actor makes. I am sure if some actors are watching this, they should really study. I really enjoyed watching their performances,” he said.
Raakh could easily have been the story of his character, Jayprakash. But the makers ensured that the focus stayed on the victims and their family, Ali said. “The makers have given a tribute to the victims. A what if scenario. It really breaks you,” he said.
After Raakh, Ali Fazal has a special appearance in Batwara; 1947, which features Sunny Deol, Shabana Azmi and Preity Zinta. The movie is directed by Rajkumar Santoshi.
“It’s an important film. I’m a small part of it. The main characters are Sunny Paji, Preeti Zinta and Shabana Ma’am. They are great actors. It was wonderful to work with Santoshi. Aamir Khan has produced it. I was glad to share notes with such wonderful people. It was sweet.”
Story continues below this ad
The actor is also part of Netflix’s anthology series Lust Stories in a segment directed by Shakun Batra.
Ali Fazal reprises his role of Guddu Pandit, the bodybuilder-turned-gangster in Mirzapur: The Movie.