Ali Fazal prepared for 'Mirzapur' by 'chilling' at gun shops

Actor Ali Fazal immersed himself in his "Mirzapur" character Guddu Pandit by "chilling" at gun stores in Banaras.

The actor, who has played sweet and boy-next-door characters earlier, has slipped into a deadly avatar for Amazon Prime Video Original and Excel Entertainment's crime thriller drama series "Mirzapur".

To adapt the mannerisms of Guddu Pandit, who shoots without a thought, Ali explored local places in Banaras.

Of the experience, Ali said in a statement: "The one thing that helped me to prep for the character was chilling at gun shops in Banaras. There are many shops in Banaras like there are more gun shops than general stores there. The best conversations happen right outside the gun shops, inside you have no work."

"Mirzapur" is poised to be a hinterland story that is as raw as it gets.

It showcases a lawless land filled with action where the only rules are laid by Kaleen Bhaiya, played by the versatile Pankaj Tripathi. The show's trailer showcases the journey of two brothers lured by the idea of power only to get consumed by it.

It also stars an ensemble cast of Vikrant Massey, Divyendu Sharma, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Shweta Tripathi, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Rasika Dugal, Harshita Gaur and Amit Sial.

Created by Karan Anshuman and Puneet Krishna, it is directed by Gurmeet Singh and will start streaming from Friday.