Mirzapur The Movie: Ravi Kishan's villain is more lover than ruthless gangster

The universe of Mirzapur has never been short of villains who can make your skin crawl. From Kaleen Bhaiya (Pankaj Tripathi) to Munna Bhaiya (Divyenndu) and Guddu Bhaiya (Ali Fazal), the franchise has built its reputation around characters who are ruthless, unpredictable and capable of turning a situation violent without warning. And that’s precisely why Ravi Kishan, as the antagonist and new entrant into the franchise in Mirzapur: The Movie, feels like a misfit.In a world where menace is almost a prerequisite for survival, Kishan’s character, Babban Babua Yadav, struggles to match the ruthlessness and unpredictability expected of a Mirzapur villain. But where exactly does his character fall short?Given his meme-god persona and the way he has been ruling our Instagram feeds lately, imagining the actor as the antagonist felt a little too much. However, given his ability to turn almost any role into gold with his acting prowess, expectations were high. What eventually unfolded, however, was a major letdown.He enters the narrative as a new threat vying for control of the Mirzapur throne, with the story expanding its world to locations such as Jaisalmer. But Mirzapur has always thrived on mind games, power plays, political manoeuvring and the betrayal of one’s own allies. In that landscape, Ravi Kishan’s character struggles to carve out a space for himself. Rather than adding another layer of menace to the franchise, his gentler and likeable persona often overshadows the ruthlessness expected of a Mirzapur antagonist.Unlike the franchise’s traditional villains, who are driven by power, revenge and an instinct for self-preservation, Kishan’s character is defined by an unexpectedly softer side. Fans and even the makers have dubbed him a “green-flag gangster”, largely because of his unwavering loyalty and gentle devotion to his girlfriend, Mumtaz, played by Sonal Chauhan. While that equation gives the character an interesting emotional dimension, it also takes away from the unpredictability that makes a Mirzapur villain truly intimidating. If you haven’t watched the film yet, consider this your spoiler warning.In one scene, he is seen stitching a blouse for his girlfriend, hardly the kind of moment one would expect from a ruthless gangster. In another, he gets into a fight over a wristwatch that his girlfriend had picked out for him. These moments reveal an unexpectedly tender side to his character, making him seem more like a devoted boyfriend than the dangerous, unpredictable gangster Mirzapur audiences have come to expect.Although the climax does attempt to bring out the best in him, his efforts are ultimately overshadowed by Guddu Bhaiya and Munna Bhaiya’s swagger and screen presence. The two characters have spent years becoming synonymous with the Mirzapur universe, and their larger-than-life personalities naturally command attention whenever they are on screen. As a result, even when Kishan’s character gets his moment to shine, it feels less impactful against the sheer charisma and familiarity of Guddu and Munna.His loyalty may make him endearing, but in a universe where betrayal can come from the person standing right beside you, being a “green-flag gangster” isn't necessarily an advantage. Kishan needed to make audiences believe that he could outsmart, overpower or even ruthlessly eliminate anyone standing between him and the throne. Instead, his softer traits often make it difficult to see him as the dangerous force the story requires him to be.And that’s the biggest miss.Perhaps the biggest missed opportunity is that his antagonist could have brought something entirely different to Mirzapur. Instead of relying on loud aggression, the film could have built him as a quietly terrifying presence, someone whose calmness itself was threatening. But for that to work, the writing needed to give him sharper motivations and the performance needed to make every interaction feel loaded.What we get instead is a villain who doesn't always look dangerous enough.For a franchise that has ruled the hearts because of its strong characterisation and menace, that's a significant drawback. Mirzapur: The Movie needed its new antagonist to walk into the frame and make audiences immediately think, “This man is trouble.”So, was Ravi Kishan miscast? Perhaps not entirely. The bigger failure may lie in the characterisation. But when a new antagonist struggles to match the ruthlessness and unpredictability that have defined the Mirzapur universe, the casting inevitably becomes part of the conversation.Because in Mirzapur, a villain cannot merely be soft. He has to be dangerous.- EndsPublished By: Prachi aryaPublished On: Sep 10, 2026 15:03 IST