Vikrant Massey admits he was disappointed by Bablu Pandit's death in Mirzapur: 'I thought that Zoya Akhtar, Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani took a chance on me when nobody was'

Vikrant Massey recently shared his thoughts on his character Bablu Pandit’s early exit from the hit crime series Mirzapur, admitting he was disappointed by the unexpected turn. The popular series, now three seasons strong, introduced Vikrant’s Bablu in season 1, only for the character to be killed off by the finale. While promoting his upcoming film The Sabarmati Report, Vikrant revealed he had hoped for a longer storyline for Bablu and learned valuable lessons from this experience.
Speaking with Faye D’Souza, Vikrant recalled, “I was a little disappointed when my character was killed because I had a different plan in my head. That was a massive learning for me because post that, I make sure that I read the script till the last word or I didn’t sign the contract until I know what I am asked to do."
The actor attributed his decision to join Mirzapur partly to his trust in Excel Entertainment, the show's production house. Having previously worked with them on Dil Dhadakne Do, he felt confident in their vision. However, a minor miscommunication led him to sign on after reading only the first six episodes, under the impression his character would have a longer arc.

"I thought that Zoya Akhtar, Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani took a chance on me when nobody was. Then when I read the script of the later episodes, I was like, ‘Uh oh.’ They told me, ‘We thought you read them?’ I said, ‘When we signed I don’t think I was given the last two episodes.’ That was the miscommunication, and I should have been a little more careful," Vikrant recalled.

Despite his initial disappointment, Vikrant acknowledged the pivotal role Mirzapur played in his career, bringing him widespread recognition and a deeper connection with audiences. When the series premiered, he happened to be in Lucknow filming Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi. By the time he finished his day's shoot, he was surprised to see a crowd gathered outside the set, eager to catch a glimpse of "Bablu Bhaiya." In less than a day, news of his presence had spread, with locals turning up in large numbers to see him. The overwhelming response left a lasting impression on him, as he described the experience as “phenomenal.”
On the work front, Vikrant Massey is gearing up for his next film The Sabarmati Report. The film hits theatres on Friday, November 14.