PremiumAli Fazal on handling mixed reviews for Mirzapur Season 3: 'Hard part is to stay in control and say...' | Exclusive
Ali Fazal reflects on the challenges of meeting audience expectations in Mirzapur Season 3.
Last Updated: 01.31 PM, Jul 11, 2024
As it's been nearly a week since Mirzapur Season 3 hit Prime Video, Ali Fazal has opened up about the mixed reviews the latest season has received and the impact of public opinion on the series. In an exclusive interview with OTTplay, the actor candidly shared his thoughts on the journey of Mirzapur and the challenges of meeting audience expectations.
Ali Fazal's personal impact on Mirzapur Season 3 mixed reviews
"Quite personally. It hits personally; we don't take it personally. I think that's if I'm being true, because we're not. Each of us is not responsible for the whole thing. And it's very easy to kind of say, 'Hey, that's not my...,' but it hits you because you're part of the family; you're part of the storytelling process. We are all safe to say now, after three seasons, that we are collaborators on this in a larger sense than just putting in our craft," Fazal remarked.
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Reflecting on the criticisms received after the release of Season 2, he noted, "So yeah, of course, but we take it in, but that still doesn't mean we get affected and start using those tropes because there's a billion people watching this. Also, we have to keep in mind that it's one of the biggest shows in the world, and so there's bound to be all kinds of opinions from all over the world that will come and are coming, and with that come conspiracy theories. And with that come different storylines, and favouritism happens, which is very natural."
Maintaining narrative control amidst diverse opinions
Acknowledging the difficulty of maintaining a consistent narrative amidst diverse opinions, Fazal added, "So the hard part is to stay in control and say, 'Okay, this is our line of thought. We are not wrong with that. We just have to streamline a few things.' And that happens every time. Season Two jab release hua tha, hume toh bohot gaaliyaan padi thi ke yeh kya bana diya bhai, you can't better Season One, boss, you can't. (When Season Two was released, we received a lot of criticism, like, 'What have you made? You can't make something better than Season One, boss, you can't.') Now, it's hilarious because, literally, Season Three is coming. It's like, Season Two is 'baap,' what filmmaking, blah blah blah."
The actor emphasised the intensity of fan reactions and the passionate following the show has garnered. "So that's what, because you take with you either good or bad, right? Memory is really bad or really good. I think the collective effect of these seasons is different, and the immediate effect is different, and for the fans, it's freaking crazy; man, they act like a beast. So, honestly, I've already said a lot. I wanted to end with, like, 'I don't want to talk about this more,' but I already gave a long answer."
Mirzapur has become one of the most talked-about series in recent years, and with Season 3 now streaming on Prime Video since July 5, 2024, the excitement and anticipation among fans continue to build.