Patna [India]August 22 (ANI): Mirzapur fever in Patna intensified when Pankaj Tripathi along with Ali Fazal and Divyendu Sharma visited the city for the film’s promotional campaign, increasing the excitement around the film ahead of its release.
Pankaj Tripathi, who is set to reprise his iconic character as Kaleen Bhaiya, described his Patna as a nostalgic homecoming. Recalling his early theater days in the city, the actor said, “I went to Danapur station 30 years ago. There was an auditorium in NCR Ghosh. I started my theater career in 1996.”
Tripathi also recalled cycling from Kankar Bagh to perform at the venue in the early days of his career. “From Kankar Bagh, I rode there for the first time to play,” he said, adding that returning to the old streets of the city made him nostalgic.
Speaking to the media, actor Ali Fazal noted the enduring popularity of the franchise and its characters.
Talking about Mirzapur’s long journey, Fazal highlighted the audience’s love for characters like Guddu, Munna and Babloo. ‘
“The characters have been in our memories for a long time. This is the love of the audience. There are many characters whose names have become household names,” he said.
Meanwhile, Divyendu Sharma described Mirzapur as a show that brought a new revolution with the advent of OTT in India.
“When Mirzapur came, it created a new revolution in OTT. It is an integral part of our lives. Somehow, we are all fans of it because its script is so beautiful. So whether I am a part of it or not, I will always be a fan of Mirzapur,” the actor said.
Discussing the fight for central power in the upcoming film Mirzapur, Divyendu said the throne will never belong to one person. “The struggle for power will always continue. Who will sit on the throne? There are other candidates for the throne this time,” he said, hinting at the conflicts and rivalries awaiting viewers in the film.
The actor also attributed his return to the franchise to the love of the fans. He revealed that Mirzapur: The Movie is set during the first season when all the main characters are still alive and the events that later changed their lives have not yet happened.
Tripathi also spoke about the fundamental difference between an OTT viewing experience and a theatrical experience. According to him, OTT is essentially a form of individual or private viewing in which viewers choose what they watch on their personal screens.
“There is a fundamental difference with OTT that we don’t understand. OTT as a format is a thing of individual private viewing. It is not public viewing. OTT is not watched by 300 people at the same time in cinemas,” he explained.
Presented by Amazon MGM Studios and Excel Entertainment, Mirzapur: The Movie is directed by Gurmeet Singh, written by Punit Krishna and produced by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar under the Excel Entertainment banner. The film was produced by Kassim Jagmagia and Vishal Ramchandani.
The film stars Ali Fazal, Pankaj Tripathi, Divyendu, Jeetendra, Shweta Tripathi, Ravi Kishan and Shriya Pilgaonkar in lead roles.
Mirzapur: The Movie will release in theaters on September 4, 2026. (ANI)