From ‘Mirzapur’ to Marvel’s Backyard: Priyanshu Painyuli Spills the Bengali Bluff That Landed Him Extraction

If you ever needed proof that hustle, talent, and a little linguistic improv can take you from India to a Hollywood action-thriller — Priyanshu Painyuli’s journey to Extraction is your story.

Best known as Robin from Mirzapur and Bhavesh Joshi from Vikramaditya Motwane’s cult superhero film, Painyuli recently opened up about how he bagged the role of Bangladeshi crime lord Amir Asif in Extraction, starring none other than Chris Hemsworth. And let’s just say... it wasn’t your textbook audition.

“Tess Joseph, the casting director, thought I was Bengali,” Priyanshu laughed, recalling the chaos. “They wanted a mature Bangladeshi villain, 50-plus. I was nowhere near that. But she called anyway — and when I told her I wasn’t Bengali, she said she’d get back to me.” Most actors would let it go there. Not Priyanshu. The man practically manifested that role.

He whipped out his phone, recorded Bengali voice notes (despite never having spoken the language), got help from actor Ronjini Chakraborty (Tumbbad), and sent over a full-on audition — complete with one scene in Bengali and one in English. “Joe Russo himself picked me. They liked my body language and attitude,” he revealed. From “Who’s this guy?” to Russos-approved in a heartbeat.

Let’s not forget — this is the same guy who, six months earlier, had just finished Avengers: Endgame as a fan. “I was obsessed with Marvel. Then I got the call… and suddenly I was filming with Chris Hemsworth,” he added. Now that’s a plot twist even Tony Stark would approve of.

From Bhavesh Joshi Superhero to Extraction to Rashmi Rocket, Painyuli’s path is a reminder: sometimes, the biggest roles come to those who don’t wait for the perfect script — they just pick up the phone, fake a dialect, and go for it.