The fans of Mirzapur have waited long, and season 3 of the series promises to be worth that wait. Continuing where they left off, season 3 ensures we do not miss out on the violence and politics that made the series a hit. Although this time, politics took a backseat and violence was plentiful, the directors made sure the storyline never went off track. The reign of Tripathis is far from over until Kaleen Bhaiyya is alive. From the first episode, I was hooked and curious about who became the rightful heir to the Mirzapur throne.
We get glimpses of our favorite characters right from the beginning, with Guddu Bhaiyya(Ali Faizal) and Golu Pandit(Shweta Tripathi) inside the Tripathi haveli, having proved their mettle. On the other hand, Kaleen Bhaiyya(Pankaj Tripathi) has joined forces with his nephew Sharad Shukla(Anjumm Sharma). As a question looms over Kaleen Bhaiyya’s health, most of his battles are fought by Sharad, who has been declared as the next Bahubali, the heir to the Mirzapur throne. Even though Guddu has the haveli, he still cannot call himself the heir until he finishes all the enemies.
As always, the series perfectly captures the socio-political landscape of rural India, where violence and crime are a part of everyday struggle. The scenes are unapologetic and gruesome at places while depicting the killings. However, a true fan would miss the political schemings and mind games that carried the first two seasons of Mirzapur, especially Kaleen Bhaiyya with his chess brain.
The theme of Mirzapur has always revolved around revenge. The hunger for power has driven the characters towards cold-blooded murders and pitiful feuds. Mirzapur 3 takes time to settle in and make you comfortable with new character dynamics. The series picks up speed from the fourth episode. I found myself torn between liking the short-tempered Guddu and the more resilient yet morally corrupt Sharad. The series certainly misses its comfort characters with Munna Bhaiyya(Divyendu) and Bablu Pandit(Vikrant Massey) not on the screen.
The standout part of Mirzapur 3 was the acting. Every character played their role perfectly. Ali Faizal as Guddu was outstanding but the character that surpassed him was Anjumm as Sharad Shukla. The resolute and calm-headed Sharad was a perfect ally to Kaleen Bhaiyya. Although Pankaj Tripathi did not receive the screen time he deserved, his acting never fails to impress. Beena Tripathi(Rasika Duggal) and Madhuri Yadav(Isha Talwar) had a key role to play this season and did not disappoint.
The screenplay and direction made the series look authentic. Shoot locations and background music make you feel you’re running in the alleys of rural Uttar Pradesh. Season 3 looked like a setting stage for the next few seasons and had minor issues where the story felt scattered. However, a solid half-hour climax at the end is worth all the binge-watching. As most of us are familiar with all characters, the story might seem predictable at times but is thrilling enough to keep everybody hooked.