Dive into the gritty world of Mirzapur, as we explore its pivotal characters, intricate plotlines, and the ruthless power struggles that define this popular Indian crime saga ahead of its anticipated feature film.
Key Points
- Mirzapur, a popular OTT series on Amazon Prime Video, is known for its bold depiction of crime, violence, and political nexus in the north Indian badlands.
- Pankaj Tripathi stars as Akhandanand Tripathi aka Kaleen Bhaiya, who runs an illegal arms and narcotics business under the guise of a carpet industry, making him the powerful but vulnerable 'King of Mirzapur'.
- The narrative involves intricate rivalries, political alliances, and a continuous struggle for power, with Guddu Pandit ultimately seizing the throne of Mirzapur at the end of Season 2.
Mirzapur is a town in Uttar Pradesh, and is famous for its carpet industry. But that's where the resemblance ends with the violent and profane series to which it lends its name.
Produced by Excel Entertainment, and created by Karan Anshuman, Mirzapur (on Prime Video), set the template for the spate of OTT series set in the north Indian badlands that copied the vulgar language, excessive violence and amorality of the original, but not the style, boldness or first-rate cast.
There was nothing new about the plot chronicling the nexus between gangsters and politicians. Still, Mirzapur brought a boldness to the television screen that censors would not have allowed in cinema.
The first season that dropped in 2018 turned out to be one of the most popular shows on OTT, and led to two more seasons, and now, a feature film. It made stars out of Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Divyenndu, Rasika Dugal and Shweta Tripathi.
If you haven't watched the series, Deepa Gahlot lists 10 things about Mirzapur that you need to know.
Understanding the Key Players
Pankaj Tripathi plays Akhandanand Tripathi, popularly called Kaleen Bhaiya, who under the cover of a legitimate carpet business, runs an illegal arms and narcotics business. With such wealth and power, he sits on the symbolic throne of Mirzapur. This also leaves him vulnerable to the machinations of his rivals.
Kaleen Bhaiya's son, Munna (Divyenndu) is a trigger happy thug, who wants to be boss, but does not have his father's cool cunning. His accidental killing of a groom in a wedding procession triggers the first major conflict in the show. Impatient at being kept away from the throne, he conspires to get his father killed, and fails.
The Pandit family -- father (Rajesh Tailang), mother (Sheeba Chadda) and sons Guddu (Ali Fazal) and Bablu (Vikrant Massey) -- were living a simple and happy existence when their lives collided with the Tripathis. The father decides to take on the case against Munna, and the consequences are devastating.
Kaleen Bhaiya is impressed by the courage of the Pandit brothers and recruits them into his gang. The two grow the business with their smart strategies, like using eunuchs to distribute drugs, and eventually become power centres by themselves. (In the film, Bablu is played by Jitendra Kumar).
Women in a Man's World
The haveli cloister means that the women have to find ways to survive. Kaleen is unable to satisfy his wife Beena (Rasika Dugal) in bed, so she carries on an affair with a servant. Her wheelchair bound father-in-law (Kulbhushan Kharbanda) forces her to satisfy him, and castrates the servant. She outwits them all, and reclaims her self respect.
The younger set of women may not have the clout of the men, but make their own rebellions.
Sweety (Shriya Pilgaonkar) rebuffs Munna's advances and later marries Guddu, which leads to her and Bablu's deaths in a carnage at a wedding. Her sister Gajagamini 'Golu' (Shweta Tripathi) first stands against Munna in the college elections, and later picks up a gun to join Guddu Pandit's gang.
The Battle for Mirzapur's Throne
Guddu is left crippled after the shootout. Also, the deaths of his brother and a pregnant Sweety enrages him, and he decides to kill Munna and grab the throne of Mirzapur, which he succeeds doing at the end of Season 2.
In a political alliance, Munna marries Madhuri (Isha Talwar), the chief minister's widowed daughter-in-law. After Munna is killed, she maneuvers to get the CM's post for herself, on the promise of cleaning up the region of rampant crime, and goes after Guddu Pandit.
Rati Shankar Shukla (Shubrajyoti Barat) is Kaleen Bhaiya's main rival, who is killed, and his son Sharad (Anjum Sharma), who did not want to enter the quicksand world of crime does so, and is a thorn in the side of Guddu Pandit. He spirits away a wounded Kaleen Bhaiya, and hides him in his mansion, to spring him in the meeting of gang leaders of the region, hoping to become the head, only to be checkmated by Kaleen Bhaiya.
Lala (Anil George) is a key character, who is the opium supplier in the drugs trade. It was the wedding of his daughter Shabnam (Shernavaz Jijina) that had ended in bloodshed, including the death of her groom. She develops a soft corner for Guddu.
The lawlessness is multiplied by the Bihar gang of Dadda Tyagi (Lilliput) and his twin sons (Vijay Varma).
Season 3 had ended with the depleted force of Guddu and Golu, as they escape the town, to fight another day. Season 4 is yet to be released, but before that the feature film based on Mirzapur will keep the fandom fuelled.
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff
