Mirzapur star Divyenndu says he is hard-working but not hyper-competitive, a quality that has helped him build the reputation of an artiste who can play diverse roles.
From his role of Nishant 'Liquid' Agarwal in 2011's Pyaar Ka Punchnama to Munna Bhaiya in his latest show, it has been an interesting journey for the actor.
"I’m a content soul. I’m not a hyper-competitive guy. I work hard and have a firm belief in my craft. I really enjoy what I do. I have put in a lot of hard work in my training. Thankfully, I’m not the kind who gets restless. I’m always (focused on) one thing at a time and don't over think,” the actor told PTI in a Zoom interview.
The 37-year-old Divyenndu started his career with theatre in Delhi and later joined Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune.
After Pyaar Ka Punchnama, he featured in David Dhawan’s Chashme Baddoor remake in 2013 and followed it up with impressive character roles in movies like Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, Batti Gul Meter Chalu and Kanpuriye.
But the turning point for Divyenndu came with Amazon Prime Video’s crime drama, which premiered in 2018.
Mirzapur season one, set in the Hindi heartland, saw Divyenndu completely transform himself to play an emotionally volatile and gun-toting character.
The actor said the success of the show and his character has been inspiring.
"I always believe I’m blessed because very few actors get a chance to play an out-and-out comic character like Liquid and a person like Munna. That gives you a complete range as an actor. I want difficult characters to be part of my filmography."
As he gears up for the second season of Mirzapur, scheduled to premiere on October 23, Divyenndu said he loved reuniting with the team.
"It’s rare to meet people who are all on the same page. We all like each other. The show is an example of how merit should work in the industry. The actors in the show, all of us were not very big names before starring in it. The credit goes to makers who have an eye to pick performers who can justify the role," he said.
Returning to Munna was "interesting". The actor said he enjoyed the process as he already had the backstory to build the character from.
"Normally at the beginning of a film, you make you character, you build it. This time it was cool that the character was already made and there was a back story. I had previous events which were clear to me and the relationship which were already there. So it was very nice again visit to Munna."
Mirzapur, produced by Excel Media and Entertainment, is created by Puneet and Vineet Krishna and directed by Gurmmeet Singh and Mihir Desai. The actor said for season two, Krishna gave him a character brief comparing Munna’s anger to that of Marvel comic superhero Hulk.
"Audience will see Munna as a more mature guy. A loving and caring guy, but yes from inside he is the same. Our writer Puneet Krishna told me on the first day of the shoot, 'Divyenndu Babu, Munna is Hulk'. He is calm and composed from outside, but he is always be angry from inside. I couldn’t have asked for more as an actor and as a character."
But playing a dark character like Munna can take a toll on one's emotional well-being. Divyenndu said it was “disturbing” at times to play the violent character.
"To be honest, it gets really dark at times to play someone like Munna. There are some scenes and sequences that leave a scar on your personality and it does get very disturbing. But I believe an actor needs to consciously deal with it."
The actor recalled post the filming of season one of the series he observed some changes in his personality.
"I realised I was reacting to similar situations differently. I’m happy I became aware of those changes very early on. As an artiste, you need to be aware. You have to go deep, but you must know how to come out of it. But it is fun to go and touch those human emotions which you have not experienced in your own life and be that other being and live vicariously through the character."
"Mirzapur" season two also features actors Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal and Shweta Tripathi Sharma
Rasika Dugal , Harshita Shekhar Gaur, Amit Sial, Anjum Sharma, Sheeba Chaddha, Manu Rishi Chadha and Rajesh Tailang reprising their roles. The show's central theme of violence and revenge remains, but Divyenndu said the canvas is bigger now.
"The season two is grander. Everything is on a bigger scale. But the main DNA of Mirzapur is still the same. It is still about those power hungry people who want to get the control of Mirzapur. There is much more gravity this time and much more drama."
Actors Vijay Varma, Priyanshu Painyuli, and Isha Talwar are the new addition to cast of Mirzapur.