Mirzapur continues to delve deeper into the lesser-seen but well-established crime world of Bāhubali in Uttar Pradesh, India. And, once again, it focuses on the ambitious gangsters.
In season 3, all of these modern-day Bāhubali (gangsters) are engaged in vicious cut-throat competitions to win and control Mirzapur. Notably, the Bāhubali refers to political figures in India, who possess “dhanbal” (wealth), “janbal” (people’s support) and “buddhibal” (political acumen) in addition to their capacity for violence. {Bāhubali News Source: Scroll dot in}
Home to over 257 million (estimated) people in 2024, the Uttar Pradesh state holds the title of being the most densely populated in India and the world. It constitutes 16.98 percent of India's population and approximately 3 percent of the global population, surpassing all but 4 countries outside of India in terms of population.
“Mirzapur (Season 3)” – The Bāhubali Gangsters Continue Their Blood-Soaked Power Struggles
Trailer: Mirzapur (Season 3 – 2024) Series
Spoiler Free Review: Mirzapur (Season 3 – 2024) Series
The introduction
We hope you all have seen or perhaps heard about the hit fantasy series Game of Thrones that dominated the small screen in the last decade. Now, imagine that the central theme of Iron Throne in that hugely popular English show gets transported to the rough and tough hinterland of Uttar Pradesh (U.P.) in India.
It is worth noting that in reality, the ‘Mirzapur’ is a hustling and bustling district in the U.P. However, in this series, ‘Mirzapur’ is also the central hub of the lucrative illegal business activities dominated by its Bahubali. So, many powerful gangsters wish to ascend the so-called throne of ‘Mirzapur’ so they can control the money, muscle and political power. Therefore, in a way, it is a contemporary Uttar Pradesh (India) version of the ‘Game of Thrones’ series.
The recap of the season 1 & season 2
We reviewed the first two seasons of the Mirzapur show. Now, after a gap of a couple of years, the makers of this crime drama have come out with its long-awaited season three yesterday. So, check them out too.
To recap the previous two seasons, the reign of the Tripathis in Purvanchal is over. Guddu and Golu are pitted against a new contender as they stake their claim to the throne. Will they pass the baptism of fire to become the undisputed rulers or will external forces seek to destroy the seat of power forever?
Video Recap of the first two seasons of the series - Mirzapur’s Bhaukaal Recap (A/18+) is on YouTube.
The summary of the first two seasons
The wealthy and powerful Akhandanand Tripathi (Pankaj Tripathi), known as the iron-fisted mafia don of Mirzapur, is a successful carpet exporter. His son, Munna (Divyendu Sharma), is an unworthy and power-hungry heir who is determined to claim his Bahubali father’s empire. A chance encounter at a wedding procession brings him into conflict with Ramakant Pandit (Rajesh Tailang), a principled lawyer, and his sons, Guddu (Ali Fazal) and Bablu (Vikrant Massey), setting off a dangerous battle for dominance and wealth that threatens to tear apart the lawless city.
In the district of Mirzapur, the thirst for revenge surpasses even the strongest bonds of blood. Though there exists a sole ruler, the King of Mirzapur, there are many contenders eager to seize power. Munna ((Divyendu Sharma) revels in his perceived invincibility after he escapes from the massacre at the wedding, while Guddu (Ali Fazal) and Golu (Shweta Tripathi) remain elusive. Akhandanand Tripathi’s (Pankaj Tripathi) ambitions reach new heights as he sets his sights on political supremacy. As the battle for control extends beyond Purvanchal to the political arenas of Lucknow and the streets of Bihar, the burning question lingers – who will emerge victorious and claim the throne of Mirzapur?
The synopsis/summary of Season 3
The Tripathis’ dominion over Mirzapur (and Purvanchal region) has concluded. Guddu (Ali Fazal) and Golu (Shweta Tripathi ) are now in a showdown with a fresh contender(s) as they assert their right to the throne. Can they withstand the rigorous challenges ahead and establish themselves as unchallenged leaders, or will external forces attempt to obliterate their seat of power once and for all?
We are not going to share the detailed storyline/plotline, as it might ruin your viewing pleasure. However, if you are still interested then check out the summary of its ten episodes shared below in the spoilers.
What did we love about this show?
When this series came out, it was considered a highly acclaimed Hindi series in India, because of its subject matter and pioneering script of Bahubali. Many of us have heard and read many infamous stories about the dominance of Bahubali in the Hindi heartland of Uttar Pradesh, but never really seen their stories on the screen. So, no wonder, many viewers found its subject matter fascinating.
Now, in this third season, the ‘Gaddi (Throne) in Mirzapur’ lies vacant, as the threats posed by Bahubali Tripathis have been neutralized. So, it is open season in Mirzapur, with many strong contenders vying to occupy the seat of power there. All of these ambitious and dangerous folks – Guddu (Ali Fazal), Golu (Shweta Tripathi), Sharad (Anjum Sharma), Beena (Rasika Dugal) and Bade/Chote (Vijay Varma) want to become the unofficial and undisputed king of Mirzapur. At the same time, as the Chief Minister of U.P., young widow Madhuri Yadav (Isha Talwar) has started asserting her political power to seek revenge and destroy her enemies. It is all about the power struggle among the different contenders.
During three seasons, we have seen their amazing character arcs. Almost, each of them shows a completely new side of their personalities on screen. With so many surprises, we also see the tremendous growth of these characters. Once again the entire ensemble cast played their roles impressively. But, we liked the acts of Guddu (Ali Fazal), Golu (Shweta Tripathi), and Isha Talwar (Madhuri Yadav).
What did we not like about this show?
To be honest, we hated the slow and meandering pace of storytelling. With somewhat of a loose script and ten episodes, it demanded a lot from us viewers. No doubt, the quality is slipping, as you can see from our FM Ratings of its three seasons. Then the (mis)use of colourful (foul) Hindi language does cross the limits. Then, sometimes, in quite a few action sequences, the raw and graphic violence was a little too much. Of course, we want to see a realistic portrayal of the gangsters and their brutal murderous ways. But then, some of those vicious and dreadful scenes made us uneasy. Still, despite its flaws, it is a fascinating and entertaining show.
Also, the script in season 3 limited the roles of the star performers from the previous two seasons, viz., Rasika Dugal (Beena Tripathi) and Pankaj Tripathi (Akhandanand Tripathi). Maybe, they will have it better in the future. Also, hopefully, in the upcoming season(s), they will tighten the script and perhaps, lose a couple of episodes. That would make it an easy watch.
The conclusion
We know that it is a fictional tale. However, the reality about Bahubali is not very far off. With so much censorship, dealing with this kind of challenging theme in the present-day political system is not at all easy. One of the episodes is also titled ‘Mexico’, perhaps alluding to the dominance of gangsters in the governance of the Northern states of India. And this certainly does not paint a pretty picture. Genuinely, one could state that this show does hold a mirror to society. So, the Mirzapur makers deserve applause for raising the important contemporary issues in Indian democracy.
Postscript: Maybe drawing inspiration from real life in India, about the growing intolerance towards the criticism of the Government; in a thought-provoking sequence in the show, we find a bold young comedian poet being jailed by the authorities, as he dared to make fun of the powerful politicians and political system, publicly.
Rating:
| FM Rating | 4.05/5 |
Key Details: Mirzapur (Season 3 – 2024) Series
| Genre | Action, Crime, Drama, Suspense, Thriller |
| Original language | Hindi (U.P., India) Please Note: There is a liberal dosage of expletive-laden (18+) in Hindi language dialogues. |
| Season | Season (3) Three |
| Episodes | Ten (10) Episodes |
| Creators | Puneet Krishna, Karan Anshuman & Apurva Dhar Badgaiyan |
| Writers | Puneet Krishna, Vineet Krishna, Apurva Dhar Badgaiyan, Avinash Singh Tomar & Vijay Varma |
| Directors | Gurmmeet Singh & Anand Iyer |
| Cast | Ali Fazal (Guddu Pandit), Shweta Tripathi (Golu Gupta), Isha Talwar (Madhuri Yadav), Anjum Sharma (Sharad Shukla), Rasika Dugal (Beena Tripathi), Vijay Varma (Bharat Tyagi & Shatrughan Tyagi), Harshita Gaur (Dimpy Pandit), Priyanshu Painyuli (Robin Agarwal), Pankaj Tripathi (Akhandanand Tripathi), Rajesh Tailang (Ramakant Pandit), Sheeba Chaddha (Vasudha Pandit), Shernavaz Jijina (Shabnam Lala), Anangsha Biswas (Zarina Ayub), Shahnawaz Pradhan (Parshuram Gupta), etc. |
| Network | Prime Video India |
Poster:
Spoilers Alert: Summary of 10 Episodes
Summary of Ten (10) Episodes of the third season released on July 5, 2024
Tetua (S3, E1) – 58 minutes
Tetua (टेंटुआ) title means larynx in the neck.
While Ramakant is tried for the murder of SSP Maurya, Guddu and Golu’s claim to the throne is questioned because Kaleen Bhaiya’s body is missing. Madhuri vows to fulfil her father’s mission of a crime-free state.
Mexico (S3, E2) – 56 minutes
Mexico title refers to Mirzapur (perhaps another name for the land dominated by gangsters)
Guddu and Golu kickstart the business again but are still looking for a supply of opium which would allow them to establish control over Purvanchal’s underworld. In the hunt for the same control, Sharad tries to crack a deal with one of Guddu’s old allies, while Madhuri tries to eliminate Guddu.
Pratishodh (S3, E3) – 50 minutes
Pratishodh (प्रतिशोध) title means revenge.
Guddu cements his power over Mirzapur while Sharad finally makes a very strong ally. Golu receives a threat from Bharat. Ramakant turns down Robin’s offer and faces danger in prison. Meanwhile, Madhuri strategies to bring Guddu down in other ways.
Kekadaa (S3, E4) – 43 minutes
Kekadaa (केकड़ा) means king crab.
Ramakant’s case is in danger with the appearance of a new witness. In an attempt to save her father’s opium business from collapsing, Shabnam turns to Guddu for help. Meanwhile, Golu gets some much-awaited information about the still-missing Kaleen Bhaiya.
Traahi (S3, E5) – 49 minutes
Traahi (त्राहि) means help, protect.
Golu plans an attack outside Mirzapur without Guddu. Guddu returns from Nepal to find Golu missing. Sharad senses something is amiss in Siwan and decides to shift his most guarded secret to Jaunpur.
Bhasmasur (S3, E6) – 55 minutes
According to Hindu mythology tale, once a demon Bhasmasura (भस्मासुर) performed penance to please Lord Shiva and Lord Shiva was pleased with his devotion. Lord Shiva expressed his happiness and asked Bhasmasura to ask for the desired boon and Bhasmasura told Lord Shiva to get such a boon that whoever he lays his hands on gets burnt to ashes. Then, one day, Bhasmasura forgot that he had a boon that whoever he was on, if he puts his hand on it, it will burn to ashes. As soon as he tried to dance with his hands on his head, he was burnt to ashes.
Purvanchal is set ablaze with a gang war between Sharad and Guddu. Madhuri makes strong decisions to break the police gangster nexus, while a ghost from the past resurfaces. Ramakant finds a purpose in prison, which catches Lala’s attention.
Bum-pilaat (S3, E7) – 52 minutes
Purvanchal is thrown into turmoil following the shocking incident in the jail. Dadda confronts his son, while Sharad and Bharat have a fallout as well. A baithak (meeting) is called to resolve the gang feud.
Raja Beta (S3, E8) – 54 minutes
Raja Beta (राजा बेटा) means King Son, it it a term of endearment used in an Indian family.
Guddu goes down a dark downward spiral as he loses people close to him. A new judge is assigned before Ramakant’s final hearing. Meanwhile, Saloni discovers her husband’s secrets. IG Dubey is reinstated and is tasked with one mission: Capturing Guddu Pandit.
Ansh (S3, E9) – 40 minutes
Ansh (अंश) means part or fraction.
Beena is compelled to find safety after the fall of Guddu. Madhuri urges Sharad to let go of the past for a better future. Will Shatrughan be able to convince Saloni to keep his secret? A broken Dimpy wants to take matters into her own hands.
Pratibimbh (S3, E10) – 54 minutes
Pratibimbh (प्रतिबिंभ) means the reflection.
Golu returns to Mirzapur only to discover the chaos that ensues in her absence. Madhuri inaugurates Aam Bagh despite the threat of JP Yadav looming large. As Dussehra closes in, there is only one question: Who will ascend the throne of Mirzapur?
A clip of a poetry scene (& dialogue) from the series has gone viral on social media
{A word of caution – Expletive language / Adult 18+}
{A word of caution – Expletive language / Adult 18+}
Poster and Featured Image of the Mirzapur (Season 3 – 2024) Series are credited to Prime Video India.