Exclusive: Ali Fazal on how Mirzapur The Movie is different from Mirzapur series
In an exclusive interview, actor Ali Fazal said Mirzapur: The Movie is a completely fresh big-screen story. He rejected claims that the film is a spin-off of the series.
The world of Mirzapur is intriguing, aggressive and complicated. Which is why when the makers announced a film set in the same world, the question emerged: how is this movie any different from the popular series? Actor Ali Fazal, who plays Guddu Bhaiya in both, now opened up about this leap. In an exclusive interview with India Today, he explained why audiences should view it as a fresh cinematic experience rather than just another chapter in the Mirzapur universe.
The 39-year-old actor talked about what fans can expect in the film.
"It's the first time something like this is happening, so you don't really have a reference point for it. India mein aisa kabhi hua nahi hai.(This has never happened in India). I think the good part is that the show has become a Janta Ka show. (People’s show). We'll discover it together, and hopefully people will come to theatres to watch it. We've shot it like a film, and it's a completely fresh one. It has nothing to do with Seasons 3, 4 or any of the subsequent seasons. It's going to feel like Season 1, with a new cast. It literally has all the flavours of a film made for the big screen, and we are really excited about it," he said.
Rejecting the idea that it as a spin-off, Ali said, “No, it’s a totally different story. It’s a notch up and, trust me, people will really enjoy."
While Mirzapur: The Movie is already generating immense buzz, it isn't the only project Ali Fazal is excited about. The actor is also gearing up for Batwara 1947, an upcoming Partition drama featuring an ensemble cast led by Shabana Azmi, Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta. During the conversation, Ali opened up about sharing screen space with the veteran stars and what audiences can expect from the ambitious period film.
“Again, a long-form drama in my kitty. I have scenes with Preity Zinta, Sunny Deol and even Shabana ma'am. It was a great set and Aamir Khan saab is producing it. It’s the first time I have worked with them. Sunny paaji is one of the sweetest people I have met. I am glad and fortunate that I got to share screen space and work with him in this important film,” he concluded.
Mirzapur: The Movie is presented by Amazon MGM Studios and Excel Entertainment. It is directed by Gurmmeet Singh and written by Puneet Krishna. The film is produced by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar under the banner of Excel Entertainment, and co-produced by Kassim Jagmagia and Vishal Ramchandani. The film will release in theatres on September 4.
About Batwara 1947
Aamir Khan Productions' upcoming historical film Batwara 1947 traces its origins to Jis Lahore Nai Vekhya, O Jamya E Nai, the acclaimed 1989 play by Professor Asghar Wajahat that was reportedly banned in Pakistan. The film revisits the Partition era, while drawing from a story centred on an elderly Hindu woman who refuses to leave her home in Lahore after the subcontinent was divided. The movie is slated to hit the big screen on August 14.
The world of Mirzapur is intriguing, aggressive and complicated. Which is why when the makers announced a film set in the same world, the question emerged: how is this movie any different from the popular series? Actor Ali Fazal, who plays Guddu Bhaiya in both, now opened up about this leap. In an exclusive interview with India Today, he explained why audiences should view it as a fresh cinematic experience rather than just another chapter in the Mirzapur universe.
The 39-year-old actor talked about what fans can expect in the film.
"It's the first time something like this is happening, so you don't really have a reference point for it. India mein aisa kabhi hua nahi hai.(This has never happened in India). I think the good part is that the show has become a Janta Ka show. (People’s show). We'll discover it together, and hopefully people will come to theatres to watch it. We've shot it like a film, and it's a completely fresh one. It has nothing to do with Seasons 3, 4 or any of the subsequent seasons. It's going to feel like Season 1, with a new cast. It literally has all the flavours of a film made for the big screen, and we are really excited about it," he said.
Rejecting the idea that it as a spin-off, Ali said, “No, it’s a totally different story. It’s a notch up and, trust me, people will really enjoy."
While Mirzapur: The Movie is already generating immense buzz, it isn't the only project Ali Fazal is excited about. The actor is also gearing up for Batwara 1947, an upcoming Partition drama featuring an ensemble cast led by Shabana Azmi, Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta. During the conversation, Ali opened up about sharing screen space with the veteran stars and what audiences can expect from the ambitious period film.
“Again, a long-form drama in my kitty. I have scenes with Preity Zinta, Sunny Deol and even Shabana ma'am. It was a great set and Aamir Khan saab is producing it. It’s the first time I have worked with them. Sunny paaji is one of the sweetest people I have met. I am glad and fortunate that I got to share screen space and work with him in this important film,” he concluded.
Mirzapur: The Movie is presented by Amazon MGM Studios and Excel Entertainment. It is directed by Gurmmeet Singh and written by Puneet Krishna. The film is produced by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar under the banner of Excel Entertainment, and co-produced by Kassim Jagmagia and Vishal Ramchandani. The film will release in theatres on September 4.
About Batwara 1947
Aamir Khan Productions' upcoming historical film Batwara 1947 traces its origins to Jis Lahore Nai Vekhya, O Jamya E Nai, the acclaimed 1989 play by Professor Asghar Wajahat that was reportedly banned in Pakistan. The film revisits the Partition era, while drawing from a story centred on an elderly Hindu woman who refuses to leave her home in Lahore after the subcontinent was divided. The movie is slated to hit the big screen on August 14.
