Mirzapur: The Movie Review — Is Kaleen Bhaiya Finally Back in Form, or Is This 3-Hour-17-Minute Bhaukaal Too Much?

Rating: ★★★½/5

There are very few Indian web series that became a pop-culture phenomenon the way Mirzapur did. What began in 2018 as a violent, dark and unapologetically desi crime drama turned into a franchise whose characters, dialogues and catchphrases became part of everyday internet culture.

And now, after three seasons, Mirzapur has moved from OTT to the big screen with Mirzapur: The Movie.

Directed by Gurmmeet Singh and written by franchise creator Puneet Krishna, the film brings back Pankaj Tripathi as Kaleen Bhaiya, Ali Fazal as Guddu Pandit and Divyenndu as Munna Tripathi, while adding Ravi Kishan as the new threat, Babban Babua. The film released in theatres on September 4, 2026, in Hindi and Telugu.

But there’s an interesting twist: this isn’t simply a continuation of Season 3. The movie tells a parallel story set around the events of the original Season 1 timeline. That means characters who eventually died in the series are alive again here.

So the big question is:

Does Mirzapur: The Movie recapture the magic of Season 1, or is it simply expensive fan service?

Let’s get into it.

First, Why Did the Mirzapur Series Become So Popular?

When Mirzapur arrived in 2018, it didn’t feel like the polished crime dramas audiences were accustomed to.

It was raw, It was violent, It was foul-mouthed.

And most importantly, it felt unmistakably Indian.

Set against the backdrop of eastern Uttar Pradesh, the series built its world around guns, drugs, political corruption, family power struggles and the infamous Mirzapur throne.

At the centre was Akhandanand Tripathi aka Kaleen Bhaiya, played brilliantly by Pankaj Tripathi.

His son Munna Tripathi was ambitious, violent and desperate for his father’s approval.

Then came Guddu Pandit, a hot-headed young man who gradually transformed from a small-time criminal into a serious contender for power.

The first season became a phenomenon because the characters weren’t merely good or evil. They were unpredictable, flawed and often completely unhinged.

Season 2 continued that momentum, while Season 3 received a much more mixed response. One major criticism was the reduced presence of Kaleen Bhaiya, whose character had been one of the franchise’s biggest attractions.

And that brings us to the movie.

Mirzapur: The Movie — Cast & Characters

Actor	Character
Pankaj Tripathi	Kaleen Bhaiya / Akhandanand Tripathi
Ali Fazal	Guddu Pandit
Divyenndu Sharma	Munna Tripathi
Jitendra Kumar	Bablu Pandit
Ravi Kishan	Babban Babua
Shweta Tripathi Sharma	Golu Gupta
Shriya Pilgaonkar	Sweety Gupta
Rasika Dugal	Beena Tripathi
Abhishek Banerjee	Compounder
Sheeba Chaddha	Vasudha/Tripathi family character
Rajesh Tailang	Ramakant Pandit
Sonal Chauhan	Important new character
Anangsha Biswas	Zarina
Harshita Gaur	Dimpy Pandit

The official cast also includes several familiar faces from the series, alongside new additions.

One major change is particularly interesting: Jitendra Kumar plays Bablu Pandit, a role previously played by Vikrant Massey in the series.

Mirzapur: The Movie Plot — What Is It About?

Spoiler warning: This section discusses the basic plot and story setup.

The movie returns us to the familiar world of Kaleen Bhaiya, Guddu, Munna and Bablu.

Kaleen Bhaiya remains the powerful kingpin of Mirzapur and wants to protect his control over the region.

Meanwhile, Guddu and Bablu remain closely associated with him, while Munna continues to struggle with his father’s expectations and his own desire to become the undisputed ruler.

Then comes Babban Babua, played by Ravi Kishan.

Babban is involved in a huge drug consignment and approaches Kaleen Bhaiya with a proposition. But there is much more behind the deal than meets the eye.

Babban isn’t simply trying to sell drugs.

He wants the throne.

His plan involves luring Kaleen Bhaiya away from his stronghold and using the opportunity to make his own move for power.

The resulting battle brings together crime, political manipulation, family rivalry, betrayal and the never-ending struggle for the Mirzapur gaddi.

The basic premise is deliberately familiar — because that’s precisely what the filmmakers want.

This is Mirzapur going back to its roots.

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The Biggest Strength: Pankaj Tripathi Is Back

Let’s be honest.

Mirzapur without Kaleen Bhaiya doesn’t feel completely like Mirzapur.

Pankaj Tripathi understands this character almost instinctively. He doesn’t need to scream. He doesn’t need to wave a gun every five minutes.

Sometimes a pause, a look or a quiet line from Kaleen Bhaiya carries more threat than an entire action sequence.

And after Season 3 gave the character comparatively little presence, the movie gives Pankaj Tripathi the opportunity to remind everyone why Kaleen Bhaiya became one of Indian streaming’s most memorable characters.

Even critics have singled out his performance as one of the movie’s biggest strengths.

Ali Fazal as Guddu Pandit

Ali Fazal’s Guddu has changed dramatically over the course of the franchise.

The early Guddu was impulsive, physical and relatively inexperienced. The movie brings back that aggressive energy.

Guddu is still the kind of guy who would rather smash through a problem than spend ten minutes thinking about it. But there’s also a confidence to him now.

Ali Fazal understands the balance between Guddu’s brutality and his vulnerability, and that’s what makes the character work.

His chemistry and rivalry with Munna remain among the movie’s strongest elements.

Divyenndu as Munna — Still One of the Franchise’s Biggest Weapons

And then there’s Munna. Munna Tripathi is back.

For many fans, this alone is a reason to watch the movie.

Divyenndu has created one of the most recognisable characters in the franchise — a man who can be funny, frightening, childish and psychotic within the same scene.

His obsession with proving himself to Kaleen Bhaiya remains an important part of the character.

The early audience reactions have particularly praised Divyenndu’s return and performance.

Ravi Kishan as Babban Babua — The New Wild Card

The biggest fresh addition is Ravi Kishan.

And this is where the movie gets an injection of new energy.

Babban Babua isn’t simply another gangster. He’s ambitious, unpredictable and has his own agenda.

Ravi Kishan plays the character with the kind of swagger you’d expect from someone entering the Mirzapur universe knowing exactly how dangerous everyone around him is.

Several reviews have singled out Ravi Kishan as one of the movie’s standout performers.

For me, this is one of the smartest casting decisions in the film.

What Works in Mirzapur: The Movie?

1. The Original Mirzapur Feel Is Back

This is probably the movie’s biggest victory.

• The guns.
• The gaalis.
• The dark humour.
• The ego clashes.
• The family politics.
• The violence.
• The power games.

It feels much closer to the spirit of the original seasons than Season 3 did for many viewers.

The movie essentially understands what audiences came to see.

2. Kaleen Bhaiya, Munna and Guddu Together

The combination of these three characters remains gold.

The tension between Kaleen and Munna.

The rivalry between Guddu and Munna.

The uneasy relationship between Guddu and Kaleen.

These dynamics don’t need much explanation because the franchise has already spent years building them.

The movie simply puts these characters in the same room and lets the chemistry do the work.

3. Ravi Kishan Adds Something New

A franchise film can easily become a nostalgia exercise.

Thankfully, Babban Babua gives the story a new antagonist and a different energy.

Ravi Kishan’s performance has been widely appreciated in early reviews.

4. Big-Screen Action

The transition from OTT to theatres works surprisingly well during the major action sequences.

Gunfights and confrontations have more scale.

The background score hits harder.

And the crowd reactions become part of the experience.

This is one of those films where hearing an entire theatre react to a familiar character or dialogue is part of the fun.

5. The Dialogues

If you’ve watched Mirzapur, you already know that dialogues are almost characters themselves.

The movie brings back that familiar style of punchlines and confrontational exchanges.

Several reviews have highlighted the dialogues and crowd-pleasing moments as positives.

What Doesn’t Work?

1. The Runtime Is Too Long

This is the biggest problem.

197 minutes. That’s approximately 3 hours and 17 minutes.

And you feel it. Several critics have pointed out that the movie could have benefited from tighter editing and a shorter runtime.

There are sections where you think:

“Okay, we get it. Now move the story forward.”

The OTT format allowed Mirzapur to spend more time with characters and subplots. A theatrical movie doesn’t always have that luxury.

2. Too Much Fan Service

The movie clearly loves its audience.

Perhaps a little too much.

There are callbacks, familiar characters, familiar dialogues and situations designed to generate cheers.

That’s great when it works.

But sometimes you can see the filmmakers thinking:

“Fans will love this.”

rather than:

“Does this scene actually need to be here?”

3. The Story Isn’t Revolutionary

The basic story is ultimately another fight for power.

• New gangster.
• Old gangster.
• Political manipulation.
• Drugs.
• Betrayal.
• Revenge.
• Gaddi.

That’s not necessarily a criticism — because Mirzapur has always been about these ingredients.

But if you’re expecting the narrative complexity of the best parts of Season 1 and Season 2, don’t expect a completely new direction.

4. Some Scenes Feel Stretched

The movie sometimes feels like multiple episodes of the series stitched together into one theatrical presentation.

That’s exactly where the transition from OTT to cinema becomes visible.

India Today similarly noted that the film sometimes feels overindulgent and that certain sequences could have benefited from tighter editing.

Is Mirzapur: The Movie Better Than the Series?

Short answer: No. But it is better than Season 3 in some important ways.

That’s my take.

If we’re comparing the movie with Season 1, the series wins.

Season 1 had the advantage of time.

It slowly introduced the characters, built the world and allowed relationships to develop naturally.

The movie has to deliver everything in 197 minutes.

My ranking:

Mirzapur Season 1 — 4.5/5

Mirzapur Season 2 — 4.25/5

Mirzapur: The Movie — 3.5/5

Mirzapur Season 3 — 3/5

The movie’s biggest achievement is that it feels like a course correction.

It reminds viewers why they fell in love with the franchise in the first place.

What Are People Saying About Mirzapur: The Movie?

The early audience response is mixed but leaning positive.

That’s important.

Some viewers are calling it a powerful theatrical version of Mirzapur, particularly praising:

• Pankaj Tripathi
• Divyenndu
• Ali Fazal
• Ravi Kishan
• Action sequences
• Dialogues
• The return of familiar characters

Some social-media reactions have even claimed the movie is more powerful than the web series, although that’s clearly subjective and based on early reactions rather than a settled consensus.

At the same time, another section of viewers has complained about:

• Slow stretches
• Excessive explanation
• The 197-minute runtime
• A screenplay that sometimes feels unnecessarily stretched

So the audience verdict isn’t unanimous.

That actually makes sense.

If you’re a hardcore Mirzapur fan, you’re far more likely to enjoy this movie than someone walking in without any attachment to the franchise.

My Personal View: Does the Movie Deserve a Theatre Visit?

Yes — but with one condition.

You should be a Mirzapur fan.

If you’ve watched the series and enjoyed Kaleen Bhaiya, Munna, Guddu, Beena and the entire chaotic world of Mirzapur, the movie gives you exactly the kind of nostalgia and big-screen energy you are looking for.

It isn’t trying to reinvent the franchise.

It is trying to remind you:

“This is why you loved Mirzapur.”

And surprisingly, it works more often than it doesn’t.

Pankaj Tripathi is terrific.

Divyenndu brings back the madness of Munna.

Ali Fazal remains convincing as Guddu.

Ravi Kishan adds a welcome new dimension.

The action works.

The dialogues work.

The crowd moments work.

But the movie needed an editor with a much sharper knife.

Cut 25–30 minutes, tighten the second half and you potentially have a much stronger film.

At 197 minutes, the movie occasionally mistakes more Mirzapur for better Mirzapur.

Final Verdict

Mirzapur: The Movie isn’t the masterpiece that Season 1 was.

But it doesn’t need to be.

It’s a mass entertainer built around characters audiences already love, with enough new material to prevent it from becoming merely a greatest-hits compilation.

The film’s biggest victory is the return of Kaleen Bhaiya, supported by strong performances from Ali Fazal, Divyenndu and Ravi Kishan.

Its biggest weakness is the overlong runtime and occasionally stretched screenplay.

If you’re a Mirzapur fan:

Go to the theatre.

If you’ve never watched Mirzapur:

Watch Season 1 first.

If you’re expecting a completely new crime saga:

Lower your expectations.

My Rating: ⭐ 3.5/5

Story: 3.5/5
Performances: 4/5
Direction: 3.5/5
Action: 4/5
Dialogues: 4/5
Music/BGM: 3.5/5
Pacing: 2.5/5
Entertainment: 4/5

Overall: 3.5/5 — Bhaukaal hai, but thoda lamba hai.

Mirzapur: The Movie FAQ

1. Is Mirzapur: The Movie a sequel to Season 3?

Not exactly. The movie tells a parallel story set around the events of Season 1, which allows characters who later died in the series to appear again.

2. Who plays Kaleen Bhaiya in Mirzapur: The Movie?

Pankaj Tripathi reprises his iconic role as Akhandanand Tripathi, popularly known as Kaleen Bhaiya.

3. Is Munna Bhaiya in the movie?

Yes. Divyenndu returns as Munna Tripathi, one of the franchise’s most popular characters.

4. Is Guddu Pandit in Mirzapur: The Movie?

Yes. Ali Fazal returns as Guddu Pandit.

5. Who plays Babban Babua?

Ravi Kishan plays Babban Babua, an important new antagonist in the movie.

6. Is Bablu Pandit in the movie?

Yes. Bablu Pandit is played by Jitendra Kumar in the movie. The character was previously played by Vikrant Massey in the series.

7. How long is Mirzapur: The Movie?

The theatrical cut runs for approximately 197 minutes, or 3 hours and 17 minutes.

8. What is the movie’s certificate?

The movie received an A certificate, making it intended for adult audiences.

9. Do I need to watch the Mirzapur series before watching the movie?

It’s not absolutely necessary because the film tells a relatively self-contained story, but watching at least Season 1 is strongly recommended. You’ll understand the character relationships, references and emotional stakes much better.

10. Is Mirzapur: The Movie better than Season 3?

In my view, yes. The return of Kaleen Bhaiya and the stronger emphasis on the original character dynamics make the movie feel closer to the franchise’s strongest period.

11. Is it better than Season 1?

No. Season 1 remains superior because its slower storytelling allowed the characters and world to develop organically.

12. Is Mirzapur: The Movie worth watching in theatres?

For Mirzapur fans — yes. The action, dialogues, performances and audience reactions make the big screen a good fit for the franchise.

13. Is Mirzapur: The Movie family-friendly?

No. It has an A certificate and retains the franchise’s violence, profanity and adult themes.

14. Who directed Mirzapur: The Movie?

The movie is directed by Gurmmeet Singh, who was also closely associated with the original series.

15. Who wrote Mirzapur: The Movie?

The screenplay/story comes from Puneet Krishna, the creator and writer associated with the Mirzapur franchise.

Disclaimer

This review represents the writer’s personal opinion and interpretation of the film. Ratings and opinions are subjective and may differ from those of other critics and viewers. Plot details are discussed for review purposes, and readers who want to experience the film without any story information should avoid the plot section. Information such as cast, runtime, certification and release details is based on currently available public sources and may be updated by the filmmakers, distributors or certification authorities.

Bottom line: Mirzapur: The Movie doesn’t quite reclaim the throne occupied by Season 1 — but it reminds us why Kaleen Bhaiya, Guddu and Munna became cultural icons in the first place.