Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai

Mumbai, Sep 4: The much-awaited ‘Mirzapur: The Movie’ has received an encouraging first review, with trade analyst and film critic Taran Adarsh giving the gangster drama four stars and calling it a “winner”.

As the film opened to audiences across the country, Adarsh praised director Gurmmeet Singh for delivering a larger-than-life cinematic experience while retaining the raw flavour and attitude of the popular web series.

Describing the film as a “roaring, ruthless, razor-sharp entertainer”, Adarsh called it a “sure-shot hit” and said it does not feel like an extended episode of the series. According to him, the big-screen adaptation is “larger, louder and far more cinematic” while retaining the spirit that made ‘Mirzapur’ a popular franchise.

The critic also praised the film’s writing, direction and action sequences. He said Singh successfully balances drama, action, humour and emotion without compromising the core identity of the ‘Mirzapur’ universe.

The action, he noted, is raw, brutal and designed for a mass audience, with the theatrical treatment adding greater scale and intensity. While the film has limited scope for songs, Adarsh praised its background score.

The performances also received strong appreciation, with Pankaj Tripathi, Ravi Kishan, Ali Fazal, Divyenndu, Jitendra Kumar, Abhishek Banerjee, Mohit Malik, Rajesh Tailang, Pramod Pathak and Sushant Singh among those singled out for praise.

Rasika Dugal was also praised for her role and a twist involving her character, while Sonal Chauhan, Sheeba Chadha and Shriya Pilgaonkar were also noted for their performances.

However, the review pointed out some shortcomings. Adarsh said the film loses some momentum in the second half and feels slightly stretched, suggesting that trimming could have improved the pacing. He added that the climax helps overcome some of the shortcomings.

‘Mirzapur: The Movie’ serves as an origin story to the feud between the Tripathis and Pandits that forms the backbone of the original series. Directed by Gurmeet Singh and written by Puneet Krishna, the film is produced by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar under Excel Entertainment.

The film stars Ali Fazal, Pankaj Tripathi and Divyenndu, while Jitendra Kumar takes over the role of Bablu Pandit, originally played by Vikrant Massey in the series.

The ensemble cast includes Ravi Kishan, Abhishek Banerjee, Rasika Dugal, Mohit Malik, Sheeba Chadha, Rajesh Tailang, Pramod Pathak, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Harshita Shekhar Gaur, Shweta Tripathi and Sonal Chauhan.

The film has been released in Hindi and Telugu, with the return of Divyenndu as Munna generating considerable excitement among fans.