The much-awaited film adaptation of the popular web series Mirzapur has secured clearance from India’s Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC) ahead of its theatrical release on Friday, writes Hindustan Times.
Mirzapur: The Movie tells the origin story of the conflict between the Pandit brothers and Kaleen Bhaiya in the town of Mirzapur.
According to a source close to the film, the CBFC approved the violent crime drama with hardly any modifications.
The source also dismissed reports claiming that the board had removed 35 seconds of footage.
The source said the film contains no cuts and only a few modifications, allowing audiences to watch the theatrical adaptation largely as its makers intended.
The film stars Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Divyenndu and Jitendra Kumar. It follows Guddu and Bablu Pandit’s confrontation with Kaleen Bhaiya and his criminal empire.
The original series built its reputation on gritty storytelling and graphic violence.
The film aims to bring the same world and characters to cinemas on a larger scale.
Speaking to Hindustan Times last month, Pankaj Tripathi said the theatrical format would give Mirzapur a different experience through communal viewing.
He said the characters and world remain familiar, but the film tells a new story on a much larger scale.
The makers have already released the trailer, which revisits the world of the first season and brings back several of the franchise’s best-known characters, including Kaleen Bhaiya, Munna Bhaiya and Guddu Pandit.
Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Divyenndu and Rasika Dugal return to the franchise. Jitendra Kumar takes over the role of Bablu Pandit, previously played by Vikrant Massey in the series.
Ravi Kishan also joins the film in a new role.
