In an exclusive interview with PeepingMoon, Anand Iyer, who has directed a few episodes of Mirzapur season 3, revealed it was his dream to work on such a project and he got an opportunity. He even talked about collaborating with actors, other directors, producers, and the team.

You got associated with one of the most renowned web series in India. How was it directing a violent series Mirzapur? How did you get on board for season 3?

Yes, it was incredible. I enjoyed directing and working with the actors and this is also seen in the end product of how much hard work we have done. When I was watching Mirazapur season 1 and 2 I decided I would do something like this. I got along with my wife, we were chatting and everything, and then one thing led to the other meet up with Excel and Amazon, and it all fell into place. 

When you watched seasons 1 and 2 did you though of working with Amazon Prime or you want to work with the makers of Mirzapur?

The series is brilliant. If I do something, I would like to do something that is so well received, like Mirzapur but it was bonus that I got an opportunity to do it and I got a chance to work with Excel Entertainment also, and Amazon Prime as a platform with all the three it was like cherry on the cake.

You have directed only a few episodes so how did you manage to collaborate with your co-directors of Mirzapur S3?
Every season has always had two directors because it's such a huge star cast and everything. So dealing with that becomes impossible for one person. So Guru has been associated since season one, so we used to divide scenes amongst us. So there used to be a certain scenes that I used to do, Guru used to do the others and so we used to always brainstorm, meet up, talk about it, discuss how the pitching, what the mood of the scene should be and everything. If there were some inputs that I felt would probably work, I would bounce it off the minutes. If it was fine, we would work that into the scene and stuff. We used to always brainstorm and talk, talk it out before being able to do the scene. 

Was there any creative differences between you and the directors or the producers at the Excel Entertainment or Amazon Prime Team?
There wasn't any great scope to have any creative difference because it is such a well-established show where in you have a season one and season two where you have such well-established characters who follow what has been said as a template in terms of the character arc and everything. It's not that you are trying to suddenly disrupted by getting trying to do something completely different because it has a mood, it has a pace, it has a certain way to set, it has a certain sense of rawness to it. So all that keeping them keeping that intact, because finally it's all about the show, the biggest take out of the suits, not about any character or any individual as such, it is about the show. So there was no scope of having any creative differences or issues with either Excel or Amazon. We were all on the same page right from day one. 

As a director, how do you take suggestions or advice from your colleagues or the makers?
The thing is, you as a director, always need to be observant of what is happening around you so that you can do that. And at some level, you are collaborating with the brand custodians. If something is created from scratch it has been pegged in a certain manner so you have a brand with you.  I was the latest entrant so I follow what the brand custodian has to say. So I just take that and add to it and ensure that there is a smooth transition. 

How was it working with Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, and other cast?

So the beauty about it is all are stellar cast. You have a whole plethora of actors who are rock stars. Each one is a stalwart in own right. And it's always a dream to direct such actors and it's fantastic. As I said, it was my dream to work on a project like this but things happened when I worked on this project itself.