Patna (Bihar) [India], August 22 (ANI): The 'Mirzapur' fever went a notch higher in Patna as Pankaj Tripathi, along with Ali Fazal and Divyenndu Sharma, visited the city as part of the film's promotional campaign, adding to the excitement surrounding 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 theatre days in the city, the actor said, "I went to Danapur station 30 years ago. There was an auditorium in N.C. Ghosh. I started my theatre career in 1996."
Tripathi also recalled cycling from Kankar Bagh to perform at the venue during the early days of his career. "From Kankar Bagh, I used to go there by cycle to play for the first time," he said, adding that returning to the old lanes of the city made him nostalgic.
While speaking to the media, Actor Ali Fazal reflected on the enduring popularity of the franchise and its characters.
Speaking about the long journey of 'Mirzapur', Fazal highlighted the affection audiences have developed for characters such as Guddu, Munna and Babloo. '
"The characters have been in our minds for a long time. This is the love of the audience. There are many characters that have become household names," he said.
Divyenndu Sharma, meanwhile, described 'Mirzapur' as a show that brought a new revolution with the rise of OTT in India.
"When Mirzapur came, it brought a new revolution on OTT. It is an essential part of our lives. Somehow, we are all fans of it because its writing 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 central power struggle in the upcoming 'Mirzapur' film, Divyenndu said the throne would never belong to just one person. "The power struggle will always go on. Who will sit on the throne? This time, there are other candidates for the throne," he said, hinting at the conflicts and rivalries awaiting audiences in the film.
The actor also attributed his return to the franchise to the love of the fans. He revealed that the story of Mirzapur: The Movie is set during the timeline of Season 1, when all the major characters are still alive and the events that later transformed their lives have yet to take place.
Tripathi also spoke about the fundamental difference between OTT viewing and the theatrical experience. According to him, OTT is essentially a form of individual or private viewing, where viewers make their own choices about what they watch on their personal screens.
"OTT has a basic difference which we don't understand. OTT as a format is the thing of individual private viewing. It is not community viewing. OTT is not seen by 300 people at once in cinemas," he explained.
Presented by Amazon MGM Studios and Excel Entertainment, Mirzapur: The Movie is directed by Gurmmeet Singh, written by Puneet Krishna, and produced by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar under the banner of Excel Entertainment. The film is co-produced by Kassim Jagmagia and Vishal Ramchandani.
It stars Ali Fazal, Pankaj Tripathi, Divyendu, Jitendra, Shweta Tripathi, Ravi Kishan and Shriya Pilgaonkar in the lead roles.
'Mirzapur: The Movie' to hit theatres on September 4, 2026. (ANI)
'Mirzapur' fever grips Patna as Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Divyenndu Sharma arrive