India, Sept. 29 -- F rom criticism of Rasika Dugal's character and choices to the row over the use of the song Shoorveer, Mirzapur The Movie has sparked almost as much conversation off screen as it has at the box office. Director Gurmmeet Singh says the criticism directed at Dugal reflects a long-standing patriarchal mindset: "Social chatter becomes so much of our truth, and hate tends to travel faster. There is that lineage of patriarchy all through the system for so many years." Another major talking point was Vikrant Massey's absence from the film. The actor, whose Bablu Pandit from Season 1 remains a fan favourite, was replaced by Jitendra Kumar in the role, a casting change that initially drew criticism. Addressing Massey's decision to move on, Singh says, "Every time an actor or an artiste wants to go in a direction in his career, they should have the choice to do it... Nobody should feel compelled that they are tied down to something due to past associations." The film also found itself at the centre of controversy over Shoorveer, a song associated with Maharana Pratap, after its use during a violent sequence drew objections from musician Rapperiya Baalam and later reached the Delhi High Court. The court questioned the choice and asked the CBFC to decide on proposed changes to the scene. Singh, however, maintains: "Nobody wants to hurt anybody's sentiment... We never wanted to make this into anything controversial."...