Mirzapur: The Movie review: Ali Fazal’s action drama is meant for the show’s loyal fans only
- Roktim Rajpal
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Cast: Ali Fazal, Pankaj Tripathi, Rasika Dugal, Jitendra Kumar, Divyenndu
Director: Gurmmeet Singh
Rating: 3/5
Mirzapur emerged as one of the most popular series of recent times, despite its predictable plot, thanks to its intense performances. It was, however, not a perfect attempt at storytelling by any stretch of the imagination. This holds true for Mirzapur: The Movie as well. The film features familiar characters and a few compelling performances, which help it click with loyal fans, but the screenplay feels a bit too predictable
What's Mirzapur: The Movie about?
Mirzapur: The Movie centres on Kaleen Bhaiya (Pankaj Tripathi), a powerful ‘Baahubali’ as he tries to consolidate his standing as a strongman. He is worried about his son Munna’s (Divyenndu) future and feels that he is too brash and hot-headed to step into his shoes. At the same time, Kaleen has full faith in his aides Bablu (Jitendra Kumar and Guddu (Ali Fazal). Amid this, the seasoned gangster/don faces a new threat following the rise of Babban (Ravi Kishan), a vicious gangster who hopes to capture the throne of Mirzapur. This sets the stage for a violent confrontation between the two sides.
The screenplay could have been better
The basic plot is a fairly simple one, which has enough masala to keep the audience hooked. However, the screenplay could have been better. Mirzapur the series worked as the format helped the creators explore each subplot in detail. This, in turn, added depth to the characters. The makers of the film, sadly, don’t have this liberty.
As a result, some of the characters feel one-dimensional. This is particularly true for Golu (Shweta Tripathi), Bablu’s love interest, and Guddu’s friensd Sweety (Shriya Pilgaonkar).
The likes of Beena (Rasika Dugal) , Kaleen’s wife, and the mysterious Robin (Priyanshu Painyuli) too get limited scope to make an impact. Moreover, the screenplay does not really have the type of twists that helped the show scale new heights. The first 20-odd minutes after the interval too are a downer. The pace drops and the real action is stretched.
Despite this, Mirzapur: The Movie has its merits. Kaleen’s opening monologue does a good job of re-introducing the audience to the film’s dark and violent world. Bablu and Guddu’s introduction scene too hits the right notes.
The scenes focusing on Babban ‘s violent ways may feel the faint-hearted feel uncomfortable. Ravi Kishan is at his menacing best in a sequence where he stabs a former ally while shouting ‘anar ka juice piya karo’. Similarly, Ali Fazal and Divenydu’s love-hate equation makes the narrative more intriguing.
Mirzapur: The Movie also features an action-packed climax, which has plenty of mass moments the mid-credits scenes too spring a surprise.
Strong performances power Mirzapur: The Movie
Coming to the performances, Ali Fazal is the scene-stealer. He channels his inner Salman Khan when he goes shirtless in a key fight scene. Jitendra Kumar’s subdued performance matches Vikrany Massey’s work in Mirzapur Season 1.
Ravi Kishan and Pankaj Tripathi bring their A-Game to the table especially in the confrontation scenes. Divyenndu too is at his best right from the word go. Coming to the ladies, none of them have much to do. Rasika, however, is somewhat of an exception here as she redeems herself right towards the end.
The film has a few songs, but none of them are exceptional. The action choreography gels well with Mizapur: The Movie’s raw and rustic nature.
To sum up, the film adaptation of Mirzapur has enough positives to satisfy the franchise’s lyal fanbase, but its flaws may dilute the experience to some extent.
Comments