Pankaj Tripathi on Mirzapur’s global appeal: 'Authenticity has no borders'

(L-R) Ali Fazal, Pankaj Tripathi, and Jitendra Kumar in the film. Pics/Youtube

Numbers don't lie, and they are telling a consistent story about Mirzapur. Earlier this year, Mirzapur: The Movie showed the franchise's box-office pull as it reportedly earned over Rs 225 crore in India. Now, the series has emerged as the most consistent title on IMDb's recent report, 10 Years of Streaming in India, securing a spot on the platform's annual list of top 10 popular shows nine times since its 2018 première. Even though the crime drama led the yearly rankings only once in 2024, it has consistently featured in the top 10 shows almost every year.

According to Pankaj Tripathi, who leads the ensemble drama centred on the gang wars of Uttar Pradesh, the strength of the Prime Video offering - created by Puneet Krishna and Karan Anshuman - lies in how authentically it captures its world. "These are characters and conflicts that emerge from a recognisable Indian setting, yet their ambitions, relationships, and struggles connect with audiences across geographies. When a story rooted in a specific place travels across the country and finds viewers around the world, it shows that authenticity has no borders," said the actor.

‘Scam 1992' amd ‘Farzi'

It has given the actor his most defining character, Kaleen Bhaiyya. Today, it has become a part of pop culture. Tripathi shared, "A character becomes iconic because of the collective effort behind it. This recognition belongs to the entire cast, writers, directors, and every member of the team."

The franchise has made actors Ali Fazal, Divyenndu, and Rasika Dugal household names. Thrilled that Mirzapur ranked constantly in the charts over a decade, Fazal aka Guddu Pandit said, "There is a lot of violence, but Mirzapur has struck a chord with viewers. That's the strength of stories rooted in their own world. They may emerge from one part of India, but the emotions and characters resonate with people far beyond it. The box-office success is a reminder that audiences are willing to embrace these stories across formats."

The most popular series over the past decade, per the report

2016: ‘TVF Pitchers'
2017: ‘Inside Edge'
2018: ‘Sacred Games'
2019: ‘Sacred Games'
2020: ‘Scam 1992'
2021: ‘Aspirants'
2022: ‘Criminal Justice'
2023: ‘Farzi'
2024: ‘Mirzapur'
2025: ‘The Ba'''ds of Bollywood'
2026 (so far): ‘Pritam and Pedro'