Mohit Malik’s Birju Lohar became one of the most talked-about characters in Mirzapur: The Movie. Introduced as a mysterious figure, Birju eventually emerges as one of the emotional centres of the story.
His complicated love story, violent streak and eventual death have sparked considerable discussion among viewers.
In an exclusive interview with NDTV’s Hardika Gupta, Mohit Malik opened up about playing Birju, preparing for the character’s emotional journey, his death in the film and the response he has received from audiences.
The actor also spoke about his television career and why he feels he has now moved beyond the medium.
Mohit Malik On Getting Into Birju’s Headspace
For Mohit, playing Birju was less about the dialogues and more about communicating the character’s emotions through his body language and eyes. He said that his process required him to completely inhabit the character.
He said, “The most difficult part was being in Birju’s shoes. Nothing else. My process is such that you have to become Birju somewhere. Birju has to go into your subconscious. Birju has to become your hard drive. It doesn’t look very cerebral; it feels more visceral.”
He added that he deliberately wanted to become Birju because the character did not have many lines. According to him, much of Birju’s story had to be communicated without words.
He shared, “That was the whole idea behind my preparation. I wanted to become Birju because, honestly, I didn’t have many lines. It is his body and his eyes that have to convey a lot of things.”
Talking about Birju’s past and the trauma he carries, Mohit said, “The kind of trauma he has gone through had to be conveyed without saying anything. That was the toughest job. When you don’t have dialogues and have to convey five years of trauma, it becomes difficult. He has been waiting for five years for an opportunity to get back to his love, and finally he gets that opportunity.”
The actor also highlighted the contradiction within Birju’s personality. He described him as someone who is vulnerable but also carries immense anger.
“He’s vulnerable, but at the same time, there is so much rage in him. So, the toughest job was to be in Birju’s shoes. Birju as a character is not that far from me, but what Birju has gone through is something terrible,” he said.
‘I Was Of The Opinion That He Should Die’
Birju’s death is one of the film’s most discussed moments. However, Mohit revealed that he never wanted the character to survive simply to keep the possibility of another appearance open.
“No, honestly, no.”
The actor revealed that there had been discussions around whether Birju’s death scene should remain in the film. He said there were differing opinions about the ending, with some people suggesting that the character could be retained for the second part.
He said, “There were discussions about whether to keep that scene at the end. A lot of people don’t know about it. Some people wanted the scene, while others didn’t. Some were of the opinion that Birju should be kept for the second part and the thread should remain alive.”
Mohit, however, wanted Birju’s story to reach its natural conclusion.
“I was of the opinion that he should die. The director was also of that opinion, as was Puneet ji. When I was asked what I thought, I said, ‘He should die. Obviously, he should die.’ Thankfully, they kept that scene,” he added.
He said that he later thanked Farhan for retaining the sequence, with the filmmaker explaining why the character’s death was necessary.
“I think Farhan took the call. I told Farhan, ‘Thank you so much for keeping that scene.’ And he told me, ‘It has to be there. The character arc ends there. Otherwise, it will remain incomplete. The character is not fun.'”
For Mohit, Birju’s death was also one of the reasons he decided to take up the role.
“Honestly, it was one of the most important things I signed the film for because I thought it was a great ending for a character. It’s a very Shakespearean, very poetic end. He couldn’t get his love. He got shot by his love. What else? It’s so poetic. I said, ‘Lovely, what a beautiful ending.'”
He added, “That was one of the reasons I said yes to the film. Thankfully, they kept that scene. And now everyone is saying, “We were so wrong. Why were we thinking of not keeping this scene?” That scene has become such an important part of the film. I don’t think anyone has not talked about it. It stays with you when you leave the theatre.”
Mohit Malik On Birju Becoming A Romantic Icon
Despite Birju’s violent actions, audiences have connected strongly with his love story. The character has even been embraced online as a romantic figure. Mohit said he was not surprised by the response.
“No, not really. We all relate to something in some way in our lives,” he said.
Explaining Birju’s relationship with violence, the actor said that the character’s intention was to gain power. He wanted to become strong enough to take on Kaleen Bhaiya and ultimately return to the love he had lost.
He shared, “Birju has chosen violence not to kill people or for anything else. He has chosen violence to get empowered, so that he gets the power to take on Kaleen Bhaiya. That was his intention behind becoming part of the gang and getting empowered. What he lacked was power when he had to leave Beena.”
Mohit acknowledged that Birju’s actions were wrong, but said audiences could still connect with the emotion behind his decisions.
“I think people really resonated with the kind of intention he had – to get back his love and kill him. Because he was wrong there. He was wrong. People get things wrong in life, and it’s just a piece of fiction.”
As an actor, however, Mohit had to understand the extreme emotional state Birju reaches before deciding to kill someone.
“As an actor, I had to reach the point where he decides to go for a kill. Killing someone is a very extreme thing. You have to reach that point; you can’t just go to the set and say, ‘Yeah, I’m going to kill someone.’ You have to really do your work and reach that headspace.”
He added, “Imagine being in that headspace for five years – waiting for that moment, waiting for an opportunity to go for the kill and get back his love. It was the toughest job to be in Birju’s shoes.”
According to Mohit, Birju’s devotion towards his love was central to the way he approached the character.
He further added, “I’m not surprised that people are connecting with him because of the love he has. That love is not physical. I believe the love is more devotional, and I portrayed him like that. That’s how I tried to play him. Somewhere, I got connected to the audience, and that’s the reason.”
‘I Will Not Get Time To Do TV Now’
Mohit Malik has spent years building a television audience, but his recent work has seen him explore opportunities beyond the small screen. The actor said that Azaad played an important role in making him reconsider his career choices.
“Obviously, yes. I think after Azaad, I made a choice. Once I got Azaad, I think that was the day I decided.”
Mohit said that his current schedule also makes it difficult for him to return to television. He added that he would consider a TV project only if the role and the people involved genuinely appealed to him.
He said, “Basically, you don’t get time to do television now. I will not get time to do television now. I’m not sure whether I would like to do something on television. It’s very important to convince me, and I have to like something. I have done a very limited amount of work that I have liked.”
The actor also clarified that he has been selective about the projects he takes up rather than accepting everything that comes his way.
He concluded, “I haven’t done everything and anything that was coming my way. I’m not that kind of actor. I want to grow with the people I’m working with because there is a lot of time that you dedicate to a show. I don’t find that right now in TV, to be very honest. Also, I don’t have the dates.”
