Abhishek Banerjee on returning in Mirzapur: ‘Actors rarely get to bring a character back from the dead’

Abhishek Banerjee

When was the last time a series became so successful that it spawned a theatrical offering? Amazon Prime Video's smash hit Mirzapur has become the first show in the Indian OTT digital landscape to make the transition to a theatrical release. Abhishek Banerjee, who played Compounder in the crime drama's first season that premièred in 2018, had certainly not imagined in his wildest dreams that six years on, he would reprise the role for the big screen. "This character remains close to my heart. It's a fan favourite. For many years, people would call me Compounder. Playing the character was intense, dark, and edgy. The fact that I get to step into his shoes again, this time for the big screen, is an exhilarating challenge," says the actor, weeks after the makers announced Mirzapur - The Movie.

As Gurmmeet Singh, who has directed most episodes over its three-season run, wields the directorial baton, Pankaj Tripathi aka Kaleen bhaiyya will lead the movie alongside Ali Fazal and Divyenndu. Interestingly, even though Banerjee's Compounder and Divyenndu's Munna met their deaths in the first and second season respectively, the two fan-favourite characters are being reprised for the big screen. Banerjee notes, "Very rarely do actors get to play a character all over again, for a whole different audience, and bring him back from the dead to do so. Compounder's story has so much depth and rawness, and I know fans have longed to see more of him. Bringing him back is not only thrilling for me as an actor, but it's also a way of giving fans what they've been asking for."

A still from the Mirzapur series

For Banerjee, Mirzapur has always held a prime place in his resume. After all, it was with this crime drama - that tells the story of power dynamics and gang wars in Uttar Pradesh - that the casting director bagged his first pivotal role in a mainstream offering. While he was originally working as a casting director on the series, he later went on to star in it. "How can I forget Mirzapur's casting? At the time, the landscape was very different. Web shows weren't as exciting for actors as they are now, but Mirzapur changed the game. Many actors from the series have become legit stars today - they're doing films, more shows, and reaching new heights in their careers. The show didn't just benefit its cast; it also impacted content creators, writers, and directors. Now, with Mirzapur becoming a film, it's a great step forward," says the actor, who had two releases this year with Stree 2 and Vedaa.

Many would say that the Excel Entertainment-backed show, with its heightened drama and elaborate action set-pieces, is perfect for a 70mm experience. Banerjee agrees that there is a larger-than-life quality to the series. "The show's essence is rooted in its larger-than-life conflicts - power struggles, revenge, and raw human emotions - that naturally lend themselves to the scale. Every frame is intense, every character arc is deeply layered, and the storytelling has a visceral quality. On the big screen, these elements will only be amplified. The chaotic action-packed sequences, the intricate relationships, and the atmospheric setting will have an even greater impact when viewed on a larger canvas. A film allows for heightened drama and spectacle, which aligns perfectly with the gritty, immersive world of Mirzapur." Even as the script is being readied, the actor is confident it will lend itself beautifully to the big-screen experience. "I'm yet to read anything of the film, so I'm operating purely from the excitement of reuniting with the original tribe. There's something magical about going back to where it all began, but this time on a much grander scale."