Mirzapur: The Movie has become the first Bollywood film album to launch within a premium subscriber-first window through Universal Music India’s ‘Hear It First’ initiative.
The complete soundtrack of the film was released today under Excel Music, the recently announced music label from Excel Entertainment. As part of the initiative, the album is initially available to Premium subscribers across music streaming services in India, before being made available to listeners on ad-supported tiers.
The move marks a notable shift in how a Hindi film soundtrack can be rolled out, putting paid subscribers at the front of the release window rather than making the album immediately available across all tiers.
Vishal Ramchandani, CEO, Excel Entertainment, said, “Building a stronger paid music ecosystem is important for the long-term growth of the Indian music industry. ‘Hear It First’ gives fans another reason to subscribe while creating greater value for artists, labels and the entire ecosystem. As we build Excel Music, we want to be at the forefront of initiatives that help grow and strengthen the industry, and we’re excited that Mirzapur: The Movie is the first Bollywood album to take this step.”
Universal Music India’s ‘Hear It First’ initiative is aimed at giving paying music subscribers early access to major new releases, while adding value to the premium music ecosystem in India. With Mirzapur: The Movie becoming the first Bollywood film album to adopt the model, the release also points to a possible change in how film music could be distributed across subscription and ad-supported audiences.
The move comes as Mirzapur enters its first theatrical chapter following three seasons of the streaming series. The film, produced by Excel Entertainment, is set to release in cinemas on 4 September 2026.
Mirzapur: The Movie brings back Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Divyenndu, Shweta Tripathi Sharma, Rasika Dugal, Shriya Pilgaonkar and Abhishek Banerjee, alongside new additions including Jitendra Kumar and Ravi Kishan.
With the franchise heading to the big screen, its soundtrack is now getting its own first: a premium-first release that puts Mirzapur: The Movie at the centre of a new experiment in Bollywood music distribution.
