Jul 15, 2026 6:30pm IST
‘Mirzapur: The Movie’ Director Aims For ‘A’ Certificate; Credits ‘Animal’, ‘Dhurandhar’ for Mindset Shift (EXCLUSIVE)
One of the biggest questions surrounding "Mirzapur: The Movie" has been how its makers would translate a streaming franchise defined by graphic violence, profanity and minimal creative restrictions into a theatrical release subject to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). According to director Gurmmeet Singh, the answer was never to dilute the franchise's identity. Instead, the team approached the film expecting an Adults Only certification while carefully navigating the board's guidelines on language and content.
"We're targeting an Adults Only certification straight away," Singh tells Variety India exclusively. "Then, of course, the CBFC has its own guidelines regarding language what we can say and what we can't. We've tried to manage that and strike the right balance."
Gurmmeet Singh says he believes the theatrical landscape has evolved in recent years, making space for films that are unapologetically aimed at adult audiences. "I also think audiences have matured," he says. "If you look at films like 'Animal,' 'Dhurandhar' and several other recent releases, you can see that adult storytelling is now finding space in theatres. I think that has also set a precedent, allowing us to bring something like 'Mirzapur: The Movie' to the big screen without watering it down."
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Since premiering on Prime Video in 2018, "Mirzapur" has become one of India's most recognizable streaming franchises, with its blend of crime, political intrigue and family rivalries unfolding through a distinctly uncompromising tone. Bringing that world to theaters presented a different creative challenge, requiring the filmmakers to compress an expansive universe into a feature while retaining the qualities that defined the series.
Elaborating on the process of turning it into a film, Gurmmeet Singh says, "Everybody collectively was mindful of the film. Everyone was looking out for the film and for each other. Whether it's Farhan (Akhtar) and Ritesh (Sidhwani) as producers, we've had their experience and vision behind us, making sure we weren't going off track and helping us maintain the right balance."
The screenplay, written by franchise creator Puneet Krishna, continued to evolve throughout development as the team debated what belonged in the film and what had to be left behind.
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Singh says, "Puneet, of course, comes with such great starting points within the film. From there, it becomes a process of evolving the material and having discussions about how much to keep, how much to leave out, where we should indulge a little and where we should be completely cut-throat with the narrative."
The team also kept fans in mind. "In some places we're subverting what the audience already knows. In other places we're bringing back things they love, but presenting them in a new way. It's a balance of both," he says.
He adds, "They'll find moments they completely won't expect and also things they really enjoy experiencing in a new form. We have the fan-favorite elements people expect, but these characters are also doing new things in a completely new story. Even the dynamics between them evolve differently."
Produced by Excel Entertainment and Amazon MGM Studios, "Mirzapur: The Movie" is directed by Gurmmeet Singh from a screenplay by Puneet Krishna. The film reunites the principal cast members Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Divyenndu, Rasika Dugal, Shweta Tripathi Sharma, and Abhishek Banerjee, continuing the story established in the hit streaming series. The film is scheduled for a September 4, 2026 theatrical release.
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