Exclusive: Priyanshu Painyulli wants a spin-off for Robin's character in Mirzapur

India Today

4 days ago

Actor Priyanshu Painyuli, who played Robin in 'Mirzapur', said that there should be a spin-off to his character. He further delved into the process of getting into the character and whether we could see a return of his character in the 'Mirzapur' movie.In an exclusive interview with India Today, the actor said, "I think there should be a spin-off of 'Mirzapur' based on Robin's character, like 'Better Call Saul'. It should focus on how he became Robin from Radhe Shyam. It can be a really good story."advertisementPainyulli called Robin one of the most colourful and interesting characters ever written. "The writing itself was so interesting that when you read a character like this, you feel like jumping into it. As actors, we are always looking out for such a project. There are a lot of layers to him, which I really liked," he said.
The 36-year-old delved into the process of getting into the character and said, "The best part was just to jump into it...When I first saw Robin's costume, I said, this is going to be interesting, very colourful."
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"After doing Robin, I have changed as a person. I realised I could carry colours and printed clothes. Whenever I promoted 'Mirzapur', I wore so many colours, and I hadn't seen myself like that. So, I think sometimes the character also helps you go through and prepare who you are," he added.The 'Mirzapur' actor then spoke about the movie based on the web series, which is in the works. He also responded to whether his character could be a part of it."I wish it would happen as I want the same. The film's story is going towards a prequel. The teaser showed Munna Bhaiya. We came into the story much later. Hopefully, there will be surprises for the audience and us as well," he said.Robin's character in 'Mirzapur' met with a tragic end. Not only Painyulli, but several fans of the series also expressed disappointment over the end of his character arc in the show.In the interview, Painyulli also talked about balancing roles that garner his visibility as compared to those that challenge him as an actor. "I've been fighting this for a while. Directors, writers, and audiences love the kind of stuff I'm bringing in terms of the variety. I became an actor so that I can live different lives. I think everybody's waiting for their lead role like 12th Fail. I'm so happy that Vikrant got this. All of us are looking for that one big hit where we're heading a show or a film like that, but I don't get demotivated because of that," he said.advertisementThe 36-year-old actor then opened up about losing roles to actors with a significant social media following. "That happens, and initially you realise, 'oh, is this also happening now?' Earlier it was nepotism - people with connections were getting roles. But now, I believe that with things changing, I have established connections in the industry despite being an outsider. Now, suddenly, with social media coming into play, you realise that we are doing our work, but people are getting cast because of followers.""Content creation is a big job in itself, but that doesn't make you a good actor. Many have faced it. A lot of shows had people with a significant following, but those shows didn't work. There is no comparison. Some of them are good influencers but not actors, but there are some exceptions like Prajakta Koli," he added.The actor also got candid about his upcoming projects. He shared his experience of wearing a director's hat for a feature film titled 'Jaagar'. Painyulli said, "The film is about this girl who goes there to shoot a documentary in Uttarakhand, and while making the documentary, what changes and what goes through her is the film all about." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jaagar (@jaagarfilm)advertisement"Last year, we just jumped into it, self-funded. We shot the first schedule, and people really loved it. Now we have Deepa Motwane and Aarti Bajaj joining us as co-producers, helping us take the film forward this year. We want to take Indian stories with beautiful landscapes to the world, with plans for Berlin and some other festivals, and then release them next year. I think it's a story with universal appeal," he shared.Apart from hinting at his role in a Bollywood film, the actor stated that his web show, 'Paan Parda Zarda' would be a treat for the fans of 'Mirzapur.'He said, "'Paan Parda Zarda' is a show I'm very excited about. It stars Moha Singh, Tanvi Azmi, and others. For fans of 'Mirzapur', this will be a delight. Set in Bhopal, this is a Romeo and Juliet story in the opium world. It should be out by year-end."Painyulli concluded by saying the year 2025 would end with the release of both projects.- Ends