Shweta Tripathi defends Jitendra Kumar replacing Vikrant Massey in Mirzapur: ‘What Jeetu has done is not easy’

Jitendra Kumar's casting as Bablu in Mirzapur: The Movie faced initial criticism but gained acceptance after the film's success.

When it was first announced that Jitendra Kumar would replace Vikrant Massey as Bablu in Mirzapur: The Movie, many people did not approve of the choice. However, after the film’s release and its subsequent success at the box office, that narrative has changed. In a recent interaction, Shweta Tripathi spoke about Jitendra replacing Vikrant’s character in the film.

Jitendra Kumar replaced Vikrant Massey in Mirzapur The Movie.

‘What Jeetu has done is not easy’

Speaking to NDTV, she said, “What Jeetu has done is not easy. On Mirzapur, we are a family. We could be intimidating, we all have been together for nine years. But he made a full Bablu-type entry. We didn't come to know how he managed to pull it off. But now he's a part of our core group. Be it work or party, he has to be there. And he makes fantastic mutton! He has done full justice to a different version of Bablu and not taking away anything from (Vikrant) Massey. He is a fantastic actor which all of us know.”

‘The entire cast welcomed him with open arms’

Shweta previously starred with Jitendra in the 2019 film Gone Kesh. She admitted that the comfort level they already shared after working together added to their chemistry in the film.

Deep Dive

Why was Jitendra Kumar cast as Bablu in Mirzapur: The Movie instead of Vikrant Massey?

What challenges did Jitendra Kumar face in taking over the role of Bablu in Mirzapur: The Movie?

How has Mirzapur: The Movie performed at the box office since its release?

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“Our chemistry was very loved in Gone Kesh and I wanted to work with him again after that film. It was my birthday when we were finishing the shoot of Gone Kesh and he sent me a plant as a gift in a very cute pot. We still have that plant. He is one of those people with whom you just connect. Jeetu is one of those people. It's not just me, the entire cast welcomed him with open arms,” she said.

Mirzapur director reveals why Vikrant Massey was replaced

Director Gurmmeet Singh has now shared his side of the story. He explained that bringing in a new actor was part of taking the story in a different direction. For him, the creative process could not be tied to what had already been done in the series.

In a recent interaction with Zoom, the film’s director Gurmmeet Singh revealed the reason behind replacing Vikrant. He said, “The best thing about the creative process is that it never binds us. There is often an expectation that everything will remain the same, but that isn't possible—and that shouldn't bother anyone. When we decided to recast Bablu, we were approaching the film in a new way, and this opened up new doors for us.”

Mirzapur: The Movie is based on the Amazon Prime Video series Mirzapur (2018). It stars Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Divyenndu, Jitendra Kumar and Ravi Kishan in lead roles.