Karan Johar Reviews ‘Mirzapur: The Movie’, Gives Massive Thumbs Up: ‘Solid, Kadak, Masaledar Ride’

Mumbai: Mirzapur: The Movie has finally arrived on the big screen, and filmmaker Karan Johar is among the early admirers of the much-awaited crime saga. After watching the film, Johar gave it a massive thumbs-up, describing the movie as a “solid, kadak, masaledar ride.”

The film, which brings the hugely popular Mirzapur universe from streaming to theatres, released nationwide on September 4. It reunites several of the franchise's most recognisable faces, including Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal and Divyenndu Sharma.

Karan Johar praises Mirzapur's big-screen treatment

Johar's reaction is significant given the enormous popularity of the Mirzapur franchise on Prime Video. The series built a loyal following with its mix of crime, revenge, political power struggles, dark humour and memorable dialogues.

His description of the film as “solid”, “kadak” and “masaledar” reflects the kind of mass-entertainer experience that the franchise has traditionally offered its audience.

The movie attempts to retain that familiar flavour while giving the story a larger theatrical scale.

Kaleen Bhaiya and Guddu Pandit return

At the centre of the film are Kaleen Bhaiya, played by Pankaj Tripathi, and Guddu Pandit, portrayed by Ali Fazal.

Their rivalry and the battle for control of Mirzapur remain central to the story. Divyenndu's return as Munna Tripathi has also emerged as one of the biggest talking points surrounding the movie.

The film further expands the franchise with actors including Ravi Kishan and Jitendra Kumar, while bringing back several familiar performers from the series.

Early audience reactions are largely positive

The first reactions from moviegoers have added to the buzz.

Social media users have praised the film's action sequences, dialogues, background score and larger-than-life presentation. Ravi Kishan's entry and Divyenndu's return as Munna Bhaiya have received particular attention.

Critics have also highlighted Pankaj Tripathi's performance. The Indian Express review described the film as an enjoyable return for the franchise, particularly crediting Tripathi's presence with bringing back some of the series' original energy.

However, the response has not been completely unanimous. Some viewers and critics have pointed to the movie's long runtime and pacing, with parts of the narrative considered overly stretched or explanatory.

A more theatrical Mirzapur experience

Moving Mirzapur from OTT to cinemas was always going to be a major challenge for the makers.

The series had the advantage of several episodes to develop its characters and multiple storylines. The film instead has to compress that world into a single theatrical narrative while still satisfying viewers who have followed the characters for years.

The makers have retained the franchise's familiar ingredients — violence, power games, dark humour, dramatic confrontations and punchy dialogue — while increasing the scale for the big screen.

The film has also received an A certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification, with reports saying only limited cuts were made to intimate scenes and certain language.

Strong opening at the box office

The positive word of mouth appears to be translating into box-office interest.

According to industry tracking cited by The Indian Express, Mirzapur: The Movie crossed the ₹20 crore mark in India on its opening day, with an estimated gross collection of ₹20.39 crore and net collection of ₹17.28 crore by 7 pm.

The film's performance is being closely watched because it represents a major test for the theatrical potential of an established OTT franchise.

Karan Johar's verdict adds to the buzz

With audiences already debating whether the movie lives up to the legacy of the series, Johar's enthusiastic response has added another talking point.

For fans who have waited to see Kaleen Bhaiya, Guddu Pandit and Munna Bhaiya back in action, the early reactions suggest that the film delivers plenty of the familiar Mirzapur “bhaukaal” — even if its lengthy runtime may test the patience of some viewers.

For now, the verdict from Karan Johar is clear: “Solid, kadak, masaledar.”