Mirzapur Movie: Gurmeet Singh Reveals Why Munna Bhaiya Was the Most Demanded Character for the Big Screen

The Mirzapur universe has always been driven by its unforgettable characters, and when the hit series made its way to the big screen, fans had one major demand—Munna Bhaiya. Filmmaker Gurmeet Singh, who directed Mirzapur: The Movie, revealed that bringing back Divyenndu’s much-loved character was among the biggest expectations from fans. The filmmaker also opened up about the audience response to the theatrical adaptation and Jitendra Kumar stepping into a role previously played by Vikrant Massey.

Speaking about the response to Mirzapur: The Movie, Gurmeet Singh expressed his gratitude towards the fans who supported the franchise on its journey from streaming to cinemas. “It feels wonderful. I never imagined the show would evolve into a film, nor did I expect so many people to come and watch it. A huge thank you to the fans. They loved the show; it was their love that transformed it into a movie, and seeing them turn up to watch it brings immense joy—there is no greater happiness than that,” he said.

When asked about the characters that fans most wanted to see in the film, especially with some roles being recast, Gurmeet revealed that Munna Bhaiya was the clear favourite. “Actually, the biggest demand was to bring Munna Bhaiya back. Yes, because his character had died after Season 2. I think he was arguably the most popular character, and we knew we couldn't return to the big screen without Munna. That was the most entertaining aspect of the series,” he said. The filmmaker explained that the movie's timeline allowed the makers to explore the characters before their lives were completely shaped by tragedy and loss.

Gurmeet added, “When Puneet—our writer and creator—conceived the story for Season 1, we decided that since we were moving to the big screen, we should pick a point in the character's life before grief became a defining factor. If you look at the end of Season 1, the show takes a somewhat serious turn as the characters begin to face actual loss. We set this film at a point where these young people are still largely focused on enjoying life, before any truly grave events have occurred. That is the setting of the show.” This approach allowed the film to revisit a younger, more carefree phase of the Mirzapur characters while retaining the flavour fans associate with the franchise.

Gurmeet also praised Jitendra Kumar for taking on the challenge of stepping into a character previously established by Vikrant Massey. “And Jitendra is our bravest actor because he was the one who had to step in and replace an already established character. Instead of us having to put him at ease, he put us at ease, telling us not to worry—that he would handle it. And he handled it brilliantly; thanks to him, we were able to add many new shades to the character of Bablu,” he said. According to the filmmaker, Jitendra's presence gave Bablu greater agency, motivations and a character arc, transforming him from a supporting presence into someone with a more defined journey.

Directed by Gurmeet Singh and written by Puneet Krishna, Mirzapur: The Movie is produced by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar under the banner of Excel Entertainment. The film stars Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Divyenndu, Jitendra Kumar and Ravi Kishan and is set within the timeline of the first season of the Mirzapur series. Released theatrically on September 4, 2026, the crime thriller received largely positive reviews and emerged as a commercial success, further underlining the strong theatrical pull of the Mirzapur franchise.

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