Vikrant Massey has been an important part of the Mirzapur story since the beginning. His character, Bablu Pandit, was one of the central figures in Season 1. However, fans will not see Massey in Mirzapur: The Movie. The actor recently opened up about his journey with the show and admitted that he wished his character had survived longer.
Why is Vikrant Massey not part of Mirzapur: The Movie?
[Spoiler alert]: “I wish they hadn’t killed me,” Vikrant Massey said while speaking about Mirzapur to FLO Bangalore Official earlier this year. Massey played Bablu Pandit, Guddu Pandit’s (played by Ali Fazal) brother, in the first season of the series. Bablu was killed towards the end of Season 1.
His death became one of the biggest turning points in the story. It pushed Guddu into an intense rivalry with Munna Bhaiya, played by Divyenndu. Munna was the son of Kaleen Bhaiya, played by Pankaj Tripathi.
Massey’s exit from the series meant that Bablu’s story ended with Season 1. The recently released teaser for Mirzapur: The Movie also confirms that the character will not return in the same form.
Instead, Jitendra Kumar appears in the film as Bablu Pandit.
What did Vikrant Massey say about Mirzapur?
While speaking to FLO Bangalore Official, Massey looked back at the making of Mirzapur. He recalled how the show came together with a largely male cast and crew. “When Mirzapur came my way, it was actually just a bunch of enthusiastic people coming together. There were a lot of wonderful women who were a part of it too, but primarily the show had, say, maybe 85% men involved, both in front of and behind the camera. It was simply a group of people who came together and said, ‘Let’s make this show”, he had said at the event.
Massey also reflected on the atmosphere around the show at the time. “So it was just a bunch of people getting together, going out there and indulging our testosterones, our male egos, or patriarchy, if you could say,” he added. His statement gives us a fair idea of why Vikrant isn’t a part of the bigger frame.
What happened to Bablu Pandit in Mirzapur series?
Bablu Pandit was Guddu’s younger brother and one of the more level-headed characters in the first season. He also served as the strategic mind behind Guddu’s plans. His death at the hands of Munna Bhaiya changed the course of the story. It also intensified the conflict between Guddu and Munna.
The series went on to become one of the most popular Indian streaming shows after its debut in 2018. It has since completed three seasons.
Who replaces Vikrant Massey in Mirzapur: The Movie?
Jitendra Kumar has been introduced as Bablu Pandit in Mirzapur: The Movie. His appearance was revealed in the recently released teaser and trailer.
The film also features several familiar faces from the franchise. The cast includes Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Divyenndu, Ravi Kishan, Abhishek Banerjee, Rasika Dugal, Mohitt Maalik, Sheeba Chadha, Rajesh Tailang, Pramod Pathak, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Harshita Shekhar Gaur, Shweta Tripathi, Sonal S. Chauhan, Anangsha Biswas, Shaji Chaudhary, Satendra Soni, Kulbhushan Kharbanda and Sushant Singh in pivotal roles.
Presented by Amazon MGM Studios and Excel Entertainment, the film is directed by Gurmmeet Singh and written by Puneet Krishna. Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar are producing it under the Excel Entertainment banner. Kassim Jagmagia and Vishal Ramchandani are the co-producers. Mirzapur: The Movie continues the story that began with Season 1 in 2018. The franchise is now making the jump from streaming to theatres with a story created for the big screen.
Mirzapur: The Movie is scheduled to release in theatres on September 4, 2026.
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