Gurmmeet Singh, the director associated with the ‘Mirzapur’ franchise, has opened up about the response to ‘Mirzapur: The Movie’, the pressure of living up to the show’s legacy and the long-standing demand to bring the popular crime saga to the big screen.In an interview with The Free Press Journal, Gurmmeet also spoke about the contrasting genres currently drawing audiences to theatres, pointing to ‘Mirzapur: The Movie’ and ‘Hanuman Ansh’ as examples of films that are “drastically different” yet, according to him, are both finding an audience.
Gurmmeet Singh on ‘Mirzapur’s theatrical response
Reflecting on the response to ‘Mirzapur: The Movie’, Gurmmeet said the scale of the audience reaction was beyond what the team had anticipated.“I don’t think anyone could’ve imagined the response we have received. The fandom for the franchise was huge, but to see them arrive in cinemas and wholeheartedly enjoy the film has been an unbelievable experience and one that we will always cherish,” he told the afore mentioned publication.The filmmaker recalled that the possibility of Mirzapur working as a theatrical experience had been discussed long before the film was made. According to him, two episodes from the first season were screened at the MAMI festival in 2018, where the audience response suggested that the world of Mirzapur could translate to a communal cinema experience.“The impact of ‘Mirzapur’ in a community viewing setting was actually seeded in our minds even before the release of the first season. Two episodes of Season 1 premiered at the MAMI festival in 2018 and the rapturous response the show got made it clear that this was a world that could be theatre-worthy,” he said.Gurmmeet also credited producer Ritesh Sidhwani with repeatedly pushing the idea of a big-screen ‘Mirzapur’. “Since 2019, Ritesh Sidhwani has been constantly telling Puneet (writer) and me that ‘Mirzapur’ needs a big screen iteration and we finally managed to crack that now,” he added.
Gurmmeet Singh says ‘drastically different’ films can draw audiences
The filmmaker also reflected on the range of films currently finding an audience at the box office. He specifically compared ‘Mirzapur: The Movie’ with ‘Hanuman Ansh’, describing the two projects as being from very different genres.“It’s absolutely amazing considering that they are drastically different genres. It just puts so much faith in the cine goers, confirming that as long as they like what they see, they will keep the cinema halls full,” Gurmmeet said.His observation comes in the context of a theatrical landscape where films from different genres and scales are competing for audiences. Rather than focusing on a single type of cinema, Gurmmeet suggested that audience interest ultimately depends on whether a film connects with viewers.
Box office performances of ‘Mirzapur: The Movie’ and ‘Hanuman Ansh’
By Day 53 of its extended theatrical run since its release on August 7, 2026 in India and September 11, 2026 in the overseas market, ‘Hanuman Ansh’ has earned a total India gross collection of Rs. 365.50 crore, while its India net stands at Rs. 309.38 crore. The film’s worldwide gross collection now stands at Rs. 404.25 crore, ac per Sacnilk.According to Sacnilk, by Day 25 of its theatrical run since its release on September 4, 2026, ‘Mirzapur The Movie”s total India gross collection has reached Rs. 270.92 crore, while the cumulative India net stands at Rs. 227.65 crore. Meanwhile, the film’s worldwide gross collection now stands at Rs. 331.57 crore.
Gurmmeet Singh’s upcoming projects after ‘Mirzapur’
Following ‘Mirzapur: The Movie’, Gurmmeet is working on new projects across streaming and feature films. His upcoming work includes the web series ‘Pan Parda Zarda’, which features Mona Singh, Tanvi Azmi and Tanya Maniktala in key roles.
