Abhishek Banerjee Defends Mirzapur’s Violence, Says Films Reflect Society Rather Than Create It
Abhishek Banerjee is getting ready to return as one of the most recognizable characters from the "Mirzapur" franchise. His character Compounder in "Mirzapur: The Movie" will be reprising on the big screen, and the popular crime drama universe has come back in big numbers. For the release to occur in the cinema, Abhishek spoke about one of the most heavily debated aspects of the franchise - its graphic violence, strong language and portrayal of a brutal fictional world.
To many fans and critics, the graphic and violent nature of "Mirzapur" has been a big selling point. However, Abhishek does not believe that films and shows are responsible for creating violence in culture.
Cinemas and streaming movies often draw inspiration from the reality in front of you, he said. And the violence depicted in "Mirzapur" is part of a fictional narrative and so must be viewed in that light. The filmmakers are trying to express the world of their stories with honesty rather than telling the audience to emulate the world they’re living in, he said.
Abhishek also mentioned a number of popular films that have had their violence-critics as much to do with "Mirzapur". For example, "Sholay" and "Animal" and "Dhurandhar" have been classics and modern films that have been the subject of debate, he said.
Abhishek said violent incidents in real life are far more disturbing than anything presented in a fictional story. In his opinion, filmmakers are representing realities that already exist in society, and audiences can separate fictional entertainment from real-world behaviour and determine for themselves how they see what they see.
The impact on a film or series is subjective, said the actor. Different people take different meanings from the same piece of material, he emphasized, and he believes people are intelligent enough to distinguish between fictional characters and their real lives. For Abhishek, the violence in "Mirzapur" is a story element and not a promotion or encouragement of violence.
But getting "Mirzapur" to theatres has required the makers to work differently. Unlike the OTT series, the film does not have this creative freedom in language and some of the presentation it is showing. Abhishek said from the beginning the team knew a theatrical release would come with restrictions.
As a result, some scenes were changed, especially with the abusive language. Some words and expressions were reduced or edited to make sure that the movie could have its place in theaters with the kind of feeling that the franchise has had to show people. Abhishek believes this movie will still bring the world and characters that viewers have come to associate with "Mirzapur".
The biggest attraction for fans of "Mirzapur: The Movie" will be familiar faces. Abhishek Banerjee’s Compounder is one of the franchise’s most memorable characters and his return will add to the nostalgia for the old guard.
The movie also has the likes of Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Divyenndu, Jitendra Kumar and Ravi Kishan as well. Their reunion is also expected to be central to the theatrical adaptation as the makers attempt to make the much-loved OTT universe into a big-screen experience.
"Mirzapur: The Movie" will be released in theatres on September 4. The franchise already has a huge fan base, so it will be very much in the public eye. With its popular characters returning, Abhishek Banerjee’s comments have put the violence, censorship and the responsibility of filmmakers in depicting fictional worlds on the table again, making the film the subject of debate all over again.
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