Mohit Malik’s Birju Lohar became one of the most talked about characters Mirzapur: Film. Introduced as a mysterious figure, Birju eventually emerges as one of the emotional centers of the story.

His complicated love story, violent streak and eventual death have created quite a buzz among the audience.

In an exclusive interview with NDTV’s Hardika Gupta, Mohit Malik talks about playing Birju, preparing for the character’s emotional journey, his death in the film and the response he received from the audience.

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, Birju’s character was less about the dialogues and more about communicating the character’s emotions through his body language and eyes. He said his process required him to fully inhabit the character.

He said, “The hardest part was being in Birju’s shoes. Nothing more. My process is that you have to become Birju somewhere. Birju has to go into your subconscious. Birju has to become your hard drive. It doesn’t sound too cerebral; it feels more expansive.”

He added that he deliberately wanted to be Birju because the character didn’t 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 be Birju because, honestly, I didn’t have many lines. It’s her body and her eyes that say a lot.”

Talking about Birju’s past and his trauma, Mohit said, “The kind of trauma he has gone through, he had to convey without saying anything. That was the most difficult task. When you don’t have dialogues and have to narrate five years of trauma, it becomes difficult. He has been waiting for a chance for five years, and he got a chance to get his love back.”

The actor also highlighted the contradictions within Birju’s personality. She described him as a person who is weak but also has a lot of anger.

“He is vulnerable, but at the same time, he has a lot of anger. So, the hardest thing was to be in Birju’s shoes. Birju is not far from me as a character, but what Birju has gone through is something terrible,” he said.

‘I thought he should die’

Birju’s death is one of the most talked about moments of the film. However, Mohit revealed that he never wanted the character to survive only to keep open the possibility of another appearance.

“No, honestly, no.”

The actor revealed that there was a discussion about whether Birju’s death scene should remain in the film or not. He said that there were mixed opinions about the ending, with some suggesting that the character might be retained for the second part.

He said, “There was a discussion about whether to keep this scene at the end or not. Not many people know about it. Some people wanted the scene, while some didn’t. Some were of the opinion that Birju should be kept for the second part and the thread should live on.”

Mohit, however, wanted Birju’s story to reach its natural conclusion.

“I was of the opinion that he should die. The director had the same opinion, as did Puneetji. When I was asked what I thought, I said, ‘He should die. Obviously he should die.’ Thankfully, they kept that view,” he added.

He said he later thanked Farhan for retaining the scene, with the filmmaker explaining why the character’s death was necessary.

“I think Farhan called. I said to Farhan, ‘Thank you so much for having that scene.’ And he said to me, ‘It should 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 why he decided to play the role.

“Honestly, that was one of the most important things that I signed the film for because I thought it was a wonderful ending for a character. It’s a very Shakespearean, very poetic ending. He doesn’t get his love. He’s 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 about not keeping this scene?” This scene has become a very important part of the film. I don’t think anyone has talked about it. It stays with you when you leave the theater.”

Mohit Malik is becoming a romantic icon on Birju

Despite Birju’s violent actions, the audience is strongly connected to his love story. The character has also been embraced online as a romantic figure. Mohit said he was not surprised by the response.

“No, not really. We all relate to someone in our lives in some way,” he said.

Explaining Birju’s relationship with violence, the actor said that the character’s intention was to gain power. He wanted to be strong enough to take on Kaleen Bhaiya and finally return to the love he had lost.

He shared, “Birju didn’t choose violence to kill people or anything. He chose violence to gain power, so that he would have the power to take on Kaleen Bhaiya. That was his motive behind becoming part of the gang and gaining power. He lacked power when he had to leave Bina.”

Mohit admitted that Birju’s actions were wrong, but said viewers could still relate to the emotions behind his decisions.

“I think people really resonated with that kind of intent — to get her love back and kill her. 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 Birju’s extreme emotional state before deciding to kill someone.

“As an actor, I had to get to the point where he decides to kill. Killing somebody is a big deal. You have to get to that point; you can’t go on set and say, ‘Yeah, I’m going to kill somebody.’ You really have to do your job and get to that headspace.”

He added, “Imagine being in that headspace for five years – waiting for that moment, waiting for the chance to go for the kill and get your love back. Being in Birju’s shoes was the hardest thing to do.”

According to Mohit, Birju’s dedication to his love was central to the way he approached the character.

He added, “I’m not surprised that people are connecting with him because of his love. That love is not physical. I believe love is more devotional, and I portrayed him like that. That’s how I tried to play him. Somewhere, I connected with the audience, and that’s why.”

‘I won’t get time to do TV anymore’

Mohit Malik has spent years building television audiences, but his recent work has seen him explore opportunities beyond the small screen. The actor said that Azad was instrumental in making him reconsider his career options.

“Obviously, yes. I think after Azad, I made a choice. Once I got Azad, I think that was the day I decided.”

Mohit said that his current schedule also makes it difficult for him to make a comeback on television. He added that he would consider a TV project only if the role and the people involved really appealed to him.

He said, “Actually, you don’t get time to do television anymore. I won’t get time to do television anymore. I’m not sure if I want to do anything on television. It’s very important for me to be convinced, and I have to like something. I’ve done very limited work that I like.”

The actor also clarified that he is selective about the projects he takes up rather than accepting everything that comes his way.

He concluded, “I haven’t done all that and whatever was coming my way. I’m not that kind of actor. I want to move forward with the people I’m working with because there’s a lot of time you dedicate to a show. I just don’t get it on TV, quite honestly. Also, I don’t have dates.”