The moment you hear the name Mirzapur, the first things that come to mind are guns, abuses, blood, revenge, power and bhaukaal. For three seasons, this world kept audiences hooked on OTT with its characters and their insane ambitions. Now, the same world has arrived on the big screen. Naturally, the expectations are high and comparisons will be made with the world that viewers already know so closely. However, it would not be right to watch Mirzapur The Movie simply as a continuation of the web series made for the big screen. The film takes a different route with its story and timeline and brings back old characters in a new cinematic experience. Its biggest advantage is that the film understands its audience from the very beginning. It knows exactly what kind of entertainment people have come to watch.
The film has the same desi flavour, the same clashes between characters and the same obsession with fighting for power. The only difference is that everything has now been presented on a much larger scale for the big screen. In several places, this approach works and even gets whistles in the theatre. But at many points, the film forgets that keeping an audience engaged for more than three hours in a theatre is a completely different challenge from doing the same on OTT.
Mirzapur The Movie: Story and plot
Revealing too much about the story could spoil the fun, so it is enough to understand that the characters revolving around the power struggle in Mirzapur are once again facing each other. The film connects old relationships, rivalries and ambitions with a new turn of events. The most interesting part is that instead of directly continuing the previous story, the film uses a timeline that looks at the old and new events in a different way. Because of this, audiences also get to see some faces again whom they had already seen leave this world. This decision creates nostalgia for old fans and also gives the film an attempt at creating its own identity.
The story of Mirzapur: The Movie takes the old battle for the Mirzapur throne and control over it forward in a new way. At the centre of the story once again is Pankaj Tripathi aka Kaleen Bhaiya, whose dominance and hunger for power continue to drive this world. Munna Bhaiya (played by Divyenndu) is still trying to win his father's approval and claim the throne, while brothers Guddu Pandit (Ali Fazal) and Bablu Pandit's (Jitendra Kumar) lives remain caught between power, family and old rivalries. This time, Ravi Kishan's Babban Babua enters the story as a new player who has his eyes on the power and control of Mirzapur. His arrival makes the already complicated equations even more difficult. Old relationships, loyalty, betrayal, revenge and the ambition for power all move together in the story. Beena Bhabhi (Rasika Dugal) also makes her own moves in this power struggle and brings a new turn to the story.
The presence of Guddu and Munna brings the old wounds back to the surface. On the other hand, Bablu's return comes with a different actor this time, which naturally invites comparisons from the audience. Along with the power struggle, the story also makes room for relationships, loyalty, love and betrayal. The film is not trying to tell an extremely complicated or deep political story. It is essentially a masala entertainer that wants to give audiences a theatrical experience through the established world of Mirzapur. When these things come through clearly, the film becomes enjoyable. The problem begins when it starts giving space to too many characters and tracks at the same time. There are several portions that work well individually, but when everything comes together, the film starts feeling a little scattered. OTT gives a story the freedom to spread across several episodes, but in a film, every scene needs to contribute to the pace of the story. That does not always happen here.
Mirzapur The Movie: Acting
Pankaj Tripathi, as Kaleen Bhaiya, is as powerful as ever, but his screen time is limited. A direct confrontation between him and Ravi Kishan would have been a lot more fun. Ravi Kishan as Babban Babua steals the show. Whenever he appears on screen, your eyes remain fixed on him. You will not be able to look away even for a moment. He is the one who brings the real Purvanchal swag. His walk, mannerisms and body language make him heavier than Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal and Divyenndu Sharma, all three of them put together. Ali Fazal as Guddu Pandit and Divyenndu Sharma as Munna Bhaiya successfully bring the old nostalgia back on screen. Both have the same old swag. Their obsessive side is still alive, just like before.
Mohit Malik as Birju Lohar brings a new twist to the story. Before reaching the climax, it feels as though the story is centred around him. His acting is excellent. His loyalty, love and dangerous nature are clearly visible in his performance. [Spoiler alert]: But if the character had survived, there would have been a lot of expectations of him in the fourth season. This is Mohit Malik's second film. Before this, he was a big TV star. His talent was understood after years, and he has made complete and precise use of the opportunity he got. Rasika Dugal shines once again. She is the one who turns the story around at the climax. As Beena Bhabhi, Rasika leaves the same old impact.
Sonali Chauhan plays Mumtaz Bibi. Her character is limited, but the actress is perfect in the role. Her pairing with Ravi Kishan works really well. It is not easy to take your eyes off her effortless beauty. Jitendra Kumar plays Bablu Pandit. Vikrant Massey had already played this character so brilliantly in the Mirzapur series that it is impossible to remove his shadow from the role. That is why, no matter how much Jitendra tries to fit into the character, he does not leave the same impact that Vikrant did. He is a good actor, but this character was not made for him. Vikrant Massey's name is already written all over it.
Sheeba Chaddha is excellent as Guddu and Bablu's mother, Vasudha. Rajesh Tailang is also impressive as Guddu's father. He knows how to make an impact even with limited screen time through his strong performance. The story has been unfair to Sushant Singh as Bhairav Singh Karnawat. Such a talented actor deserved a much stronger place in the story. You will repeatedly feel that he has been underutilised, even though he is considered one of the OG gangsters of the film world. His brilliance was visible in almost every Ram Gopal Varma film. Kulbhushan Kharbanda is perfect as Babu Ji. Abhishek Banerjee is also fine as Compounder, but it would not have made much difference if he were not in the story. His role could have been even smaller, and it would not have mattered. Laapataa Ladies actor Satendra Soni also fits well in his small role. Shaji Chaudhary is once again good as Maqbool. Pramod Pathak does justice to the role of JP Yadav. The presence or absence of Shriya Pilgaonkar, Harshita Gaur and Shweta Tripathi makes little difference.
Mirzapur The Movie: Action and Visual Treatment
The biggest advantage of bringing the film to the big screen is the action. Violence is nothing new in the world of Mirzapur, but it has been designed on a larger scale for the theatrical experience. Gang wars, chase sequences and hand-to-hand combat scenes have one clear purpose: to give the audience a spectacle. Some action sequences actually keep you glued to your seat. The film is at its most entertaining when old characters come face to face. The background score also gives these moments weight while retaining the identity of Mirzapur. The Rajasthan portions give the film a different visual colour. The locations and cinematography have the cinematic scale that one expects from a big-screen film. The music and rap tracks also support the desi tone of the film.
However, not every action scene is equally effective, especially the one featuring Ravi Kishan and Ali Fazal. At some points, the action feels like it has been added simply to create excitement for the audience instead of coming naturally from the story. Despite the larger setup, not every sequence carries the same emotional weight.
Mirzapur The Movie: Direction
Gurmmeet Singh knows what Mirzapur audiences want. He has tried to retain the old Mirzapur flavour in the treatment of the film. The dialogues, the way the characters behave, the violence and the bitterness in relationships all carry the identity of the original series. The direction is strongest when it brings the characters face to face. The excitement of seeing old faces together and the chemistry between them gives several scenes extra energy.
But the biggest problem with the direction is the film's length and pace. At several points, you feel that the film needed to be tightened in the editing table. Some scenes expand the world without actually moving the story forward. Because of this, the pace slows down several times in the second half.
Mirzapur The Movie: What are the drawbacks?
The film is a little too long. The songs that establish the romantic tracks could have been removed completely. The repeated humiliation of Munna Bhaiya by Kaleen Bhaiya could also have been cut, because the first two seasons of the web series already showed plenty of it. Removing all this could have brought the film comfortably under three hours.
There is also one scene in the final fight sequence involving Guddu Pandit that may bother you. He appears to be completely dead during the dangerous gang war. Bablu Pandit even sheds tears, but after some time, Guddu Pandit comes back to life. Not only that, he is shown as even more powerful than before. Looking at him, it feels as if Hulk has arrived. And all of this happens because of an injection involving a camel.
The climax is slightly disappointing. Babban Babua, played by Ravi Kishan, is shown as extremely powerful and intimidating throughout the film, but his end comes almost like a breeze. Babban Babua, who could take everyone on by himself, dies in an instant. Similarly, Birju Lohar's character builds a lot of expectations. It feels like his story could be connected to the fourth season of the web series, but his end is also disappointing. His death hurts. Another predictable thing is that no matter what happens, Pankaj Tripathi is bound to survive. Even after trying every possible trick, he is not going to die.
Jitendra Kumar plays Bablu Pandit this time, but after watching him, your heart says just one thing: I wish Vikrant Massey had done this film. His absence is deeply felt. Especially when Bablu's emotions during Guddu's temporary death fail to make an impact, you cannot help but think that the old Bablu Bhaiya would have made you cry. Just like Pankaj Tripathi's character was disappointed in the third season, it is the same situation this time too. He gets limited screen time even though he is as brilliant as Pankaj Tripathi. Sushant Singh's character suffers from the same problem. Also, if you are expecting the abuses, bold scenes and bloody violence from the Mirzapur series, they are limited here. Perhaps the strictness of the censor board is the reason behind this.
Mirzapur The Movie: What works?
The biggest strength of the story is the Mirzapur world and the impact of its characters. The film brings the relationships and power games that gave the franchise its identity to the big screen. Kaleen Bhaiya's return gives the story its biggest strength. His quiet but dangerous attitude still has an impact on the audience, even though his role is limited.
The old chemistry and tension between Guddu, Munna and Bablu also keep the story engaging. At the same time, Ravi Kishan's entry as Babban Yadav adds a new colour to the story. His character creates a fresh challenge for the old players. The changing equations between power, family, loyalty and betrayal are interesting. The best part is that the film does not depend only on action. It also gives space to the relationships and ambitions of its characters. This balance between the old and the new makes it entertaining.
Is Mirzapur: The Movie worth watching?
Yes, but you need to keep your expectations slightly balanced. If you are a Mirzapur fan and want to see your favourite characters on the big screen, the film gives you several moments that make a theatre visit worthwhile. The dialogues will get reactions, the action will bring whistles, and the return of old characters will create nostalgia.
But if you are expecting a film that takes the Mirzapur world to a completely new level, you may be disappointed. The film does not lack ideas or characters. The problem is almost the opposite. There is so much happening that the story gets very little room to breathe.
Mirzapur: The Movie has the bhaukaal, the charm of its old characters, strong performances and several moments that can entertain you in a theatre. Ravi Kishan emerges as one of the biggest strengths of the film, while Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Divyenndu Sharma and Rasika Dugal retain the identity of their respective characters. The problem is that the film's length, too many storylines and a few weak creative decisions prevent it from becoming the memorable cinematic experience it could have been.
If the film had been shorter, some unnecessary portions had been removed, and the climax had been made more effective, the impact could have been much stronger. Even then, there is a different kind of fun in watching the world of Mirzapur on the big screen. It is not a perfect film, but it is not completely disappointing either.
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Longest films of 2026: From Dhurandhar 2 to Mirzapur The Movie, these films crossed three hours
