New Delhi: Eight years ago, Mohit Malik auditioned to play Munna Bhaiya in Mirzapur. The role eventually went to Divyenndu. He finally entered the franchise in Mirzapur: The Movie this year as Birju Lohar, the brooding lover whose doomed romance with Beena Tripathi has become one of the most talked-about points of the movie.
Malik says the feeling is still sinking in.
“It’s a big moment, something I hadn’t even dared to dream of. It’s honestly indescribable. If I am being truthful, I am still a bit numb,” the actor, 43, told ThePrint in an exclusive conversation.
Birju’s unlikely romance with Rasika Dugal’s Beena and a particularly climactic scene set to ‘Saanson Ki Mala’ has turned the character into a fan favourite. For Malik, the attention also marks an unexpected second chance at a franchise he wanted to be part of since the Prime Video series debuted in 2018.
“I wanted in on this show so badly, because I think it’s one of the best pieces of work Indian OTT has produced. It’s stacked with brilliant actors, and getting to work alongside them felt like a dream. It didn’t work out then, and now I have Birju,” he said.
‘Birju is going to blow up’
Malik shared a behind-the-scenes anecdote about how the gripping climax scene came together.
“It was shot on my very first day,” he laughed. “I actually begged Guru Paa (director Gurmmeet Singh) not to schedule it then. He just said, ‘We shot the last scene of Season 1 first, and that became a hit. This will too.’ And, well, he wasn’t wrong.”
Malik also recalled the nerves of shooting a combat scene with Pankaj Tripathi.
“I had to really get into that zone… and once I did, there was a moment where Pankaj-ji himself told me, ‘Mohit, relax a bit, we can shoot again also.’ That scene gave me so much confidence on day one. Because everyone appreciated it,” he said.
Malik couldn’t catch the film at its premiere, but he remembers a call from Tripathi afterward, where the actor said: “Wait and watch what happens for you. Birju is going to blow up.”
Malik has been part of several popular TV shows, including Mann Kee Awaaz Pratigya, Phulwa, Doli Armaanon Ki, and Kullfi Kumarr Bajewala. He was last seen in Baatein Kuch Ankahee Si (2023). Talking about the transition from TV to the big screen, Malik said that he didn’t face any prejudice.
“Yes, when I wanted to do films, it was about starting the hustle all over again. The way I did years ago with TV. But when you love something, there are no complaints,” he said.
The actor made his film debut with Azaad in 2025, which didn’t find its audience. He is candid about how much that stung.
“When you put everything on the line, and then you expect something back… I expected a lot, but people just didn’t show up for Azaad. If you ask me, it’s a good film. But that debut taught me not to expect anything,” he said.
After that, he says, he carried his reel from the film to every filmmaker he could find, including Gurmeet Singh. Luckily, Singh was working on Mirzapur: The Movie.
Released on 4 September, the film transplants the Mirzapur universe onto the big screen, with Tripathi reprising Kaleen Bhaiya, Ali Fazal returning as Guddu, and Divyenndu back as Munna. In addition to Malik, the newer cast includes Jitendra Kumar, who plays Vikrant Massey’s character, Bablu Pandit, from the series.
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)
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