11 September,2026 07:40 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Shweta Tripathi and Jitendra Kumar pics via Instagram
Jitendra Kumar replacing Vikrant Massey as Bablu in Mirzapur: The Movie did not receive an overwhelmingly positive response when the casting was announced. However, after the film's release and its successful theatrical run, the perception seems to have shifted. In a recent interview, Shweta Tripathi has addressed Jitendra's casting and him taking over Massey's role.
While speaking to NDTV, Shweta 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 has not taken away anything from (Vikrant) Massey. He is a fantastic actor, which all of us know."
Shweta previously worked with Jitendra in the 2019 film Gone Kesh. She admitted that the bonding they already have after starring together added to the film's chemistry.
"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.
Director Gurmmeet Singh has already explained that casting new characters was a way of taking the story in a different direction. He wanted to experiment with something that wasn't already done in the series.
While speaking to Zoom, the film's director Gurmmeet Singh shared the reason why Jitendra Kumar replaced Vikrant Massey. 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 hit theatres on September 4, 2026. Directed by Gurmmeet Singh, the film is based on the Amazon Prime Video series Mirzapur (2018). It stars Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Ravi Kishan, Divyenndu, Jitendra Kumar, Shweta Tiwari, Rasika Dugal in lead roles.
