May 21, 2026 7:00pm IST
Puneet Krishna Opens Up on ‘Mirzapur: The Movie,’ Bringing Dead Characters Back and the Future of the Franchise (EXCLUSIVE)
When “Mirzapur” first arrived, it changed the language of streaming in India. The crime drama built a cult audience around its world of gang wars, family politics and unforgettable characters like Kaleen Bhaiya, Guddu and Munna. With “Mirzapur: The Movie,” It went on to become one of the first major Indian streaming properties to move from episodic storytelling to the big screen.
For writer Puneet Krishna, however, this transition is less of a reinvention and more of a return to the original idea. Speaking exclusively to Variety India, he reveals that “Mirzapur” was never designed as a streaming show.
“It was always a film for me. Even the folder in my laptop was always called 'Guddu Aur Bablu Ki Story.' I kept it like that for nostalgic reasons. When the movie was greenlit and I started writing it, that was the first time I created a folder called ‘Mirzapur: The Film.’ It was supposed to be a film," Puneet Krishna says.
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Krishna also speaks about a cinematic influence that left a lasting impact on him. He says, “I remember ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ by Anurag Kashyap. In a way, it made me sad because I wanted to be the first guy to make something like that. The opportunity to be the first person to shoot something like that for the big screen was gone. But then the opportunity came in to make a streaming show, and I took it.”
The jump from streaming to theatrical also places “Mirzapur: The Film” in unfamiliar territory. Hollywood has frequently adapted television properties, LIKE? for cinemas, but in India, the process remains largely untested.
Krishna acknowledged that everyone involved is still figuring out the format's grammar. “It's the first time this is happening. Everyone's still figuring out how a show turns into a film in India. It's a new format and everyone's excited. What we are trying to do with this film is that even if you have not watched the show, you will understand the relationship dynamics. Of course, in Indian films, the canvas of action is much bigger, and there are songs. So that's how Guru (director, Gurmeet Singh) has designed it.”
The film also brings back faces the audience thought they had lost forever. Krishna confirmed that the project will revisit characters from the show's earlier timeline. “Munna (Divyenddu), Guddu (Ali Fazal), Bablu (Vikrant Massey/Jitendra Kumar) are all there. Of course, there’s Kaleen Bhaiya (Pankaj Tripathi) and Rati Shankar (Shubhrajyoti Barat), and so are all the female characters, including the characters who died in season one, Sweety (Shriya Pilgaonkar). You will also see Golu (Shweta Tripathi) and Dimpy (Harshita Gaur).”
Puneet Krishna also reveals that the film is actually shot in Mirzapur. He calls the village a quite serene place, in contrast to what the show's fictional world features. He shares that the people of real Mirzapur are happy that their village's name has become popular because of the show, even though the story is fictional.
Naturally, speculation has already shifted toward the franchise's future and whether “Mirzapur: The Film” could evolve into a larger theatrical series. As for the fourth season of the show, Krishna says he was involved in shaping the first two seasons and took a backseat during the third. “They are at the writing stage right now. And since the movie exists in the timeline of season one, they can continue with season four. But honestly, I don't know much because I am only involved in the film. I also don't know whether there is going to be another film after this.”
For now, the goal is clear. Mirzapur: The Film aims to turn a popular streaming franchise into a theatrical film without losing the characters and relationships audiences connected with. Whether it changes how franchises are built in India remains to be seen, but for Krishna, the journey seems to have come full circle.
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