Mirzapur Season 3 Review: Bhaukal delivered in instalments, aimless anticipation in abundance

Mirzapur season 3 starring Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, and Shweta Tripathi Sharma for most part of it is preparing you for something that might land in season 4.

Mirzapur 3 Review

Mirzapur Season 3

Mirzapur Season 3 Review - Plot: Guddu (Ali Fazal) and Golu (Shweta Tripathi Sharma) have now taken over the throne of Mirzapur, with Beena Tripathi (Rasika Dugal) by their side. But is she really by anyone’s side? The entire Purvanchal now plots against Guddu, who they believe is an undeserving king, as Sharad Shukla (Anjumm Shharma) heads the opposition. The game now is to find Kaleen Bhaiya (Pankaj Tripathi), get the business running, and stay on the throne of Mirzapur without getting killed. Guddu and Golu are doing everything they can, but can they be played again?

Mirzapur Season 3 Review - Analysis

First things first, it is not an easy task to write a show that is as vastly spread as Mirzapur. It is almost a contemporary Game of Thrones, where you never know who will take over what kingdom and where a Red Wedding-like situation might occur, ending up killing some of the most pivotal people. Even the structure is similar, and the characters are as complex as those in the period piece. Add to it the setting in heartland India, where politics, law, and lawlessness all behave according to the men in power, changing the rules of the game every single day. To have pulled off two successful seasons and to have hooked the audience for a third is an achievement in itself. But does it mean there is enough scope for the show to run for more seasons? Let's dissect.

Mirzapur entered our lives during the advent of the digital space in its adolescent stage. The show served violence in a way the Indian entertainment space had rarely seen, and the unfiltered nature of it all struck the right chords with the audience, who wanted to see the rawness of the heartland being reflected on the screen. Add to it that it was a well-written show with violence that wasn't senseless—we bought every single bit of it. Season 2 came in with a changed syntax where the naive were now hardened, and the evil had turned into devils. The third season wants to re-establish the fact that the devils have been warded off for a while, and the naive have no trace of naivety left in them. What is left is the taste of power and the aftertaste of dominance.

The story by Puneet Krishna and Vineet Krishna, writte n by Karan Anshuman, Vineet, Apurva Dhar Badgaiyan, Avinash Singh, Avinash Singh Tomar, and Vijay Varma (credited for screenplay & dialogue), is directed by Gurmmeet Singh and Anand Iyer. The season finds itself rooted in the fact that two have-nots have now taken the throne in a world of elites who want to get rid of them because they don't belong to their class. The class and caste politics of Mirzapur are on full display, highlighting that the chaos is not about the death of the supreme leader but about the fact that his ‘dog’ (as everyone calls Ali Fazal) has taken his throne. The leader can die, but his descendant cannot be a man who was once poor. The hidden details in the writing are what have kept the show afloat.

Also read: Mirzapur Season 4 to be the final season of the show? Rasika Duggal hints at exciting future even before season 3’s release – Everything you should know

While Season 3 moves away from some metaphors and layered storytelling, it retains enough to land well. The biggest question is answered in the first frame: Carpets that made ‘Kaleen’ Bhaiya are now mostly out of the picture. There is someone thinking of destroying the throne, two clueless youngsters are against the world, and Beena Tripathi is trying to make her position safe. While Mirzapur Season 3 is about men quarreling to be leaders, it is very much in the hands of the women who are actually running the show. It's almost like Rhaenyra and Alicent’s world (yes, House of the Dragon reference). 

Golu has lost every bit of the curious, studious, bright-eyed girl she was—she now knows guns and killing. Beena is the best plotter as she holds the reins of the entire game in her clutch. This establishes the fact that the housekeeper knows much more about the throne and the proceedings than anyone else in the Tripathi mansion.

Season 3 does establish women at the forefront. The last three episodes of the season are brilliant and the saving grace for the rather slow and aimless first seven episodes. There is so much packed into them that you might want to sit through the first seven. However, one should not forget that what happens in the last three episodes is an immediate consequence of the earlier events. The first seven episodes are built up for something bigger with no real redemption in sight. It is mostly just anticipation for Kaleen Bhaiya’s return, which will have a legitimate impact on the next season. But what about this one? There are multiple storylines initiated. Vijay Varma gets an interesting twist, but it comes too late in the show. His end this season is so abrupt that you might even forget where you have been left hanging.

Similarly, Sharad Shukla plays the main baddie in Guddu and Golu’s story, but his end this season is just as random and pointless as Priyanshu Painyuli’s presence. Painyuli just wanders around in wide frames with one big reveal that is quickly forgotten, ending in a very weird situation with the character getting little to nothing. Also, if a killing resembles that of Game of Thrones, how can I not compare? All hail Sir Guddu Gregor Clegane! You will know. It all meets an end that is so chaotic and not in the right way that you lose track of half of the things. The climax comes in a jiffy, and you are just told to accept it because, hey, we have a lot for you in Season 4. But what about Season 3?

All the actors have now aced their characters for three seasons. Ali Fazal tasting power and turning into Munna, whom he loved and hated, is a good trajectory. Shweta Tripathi Sharma as the silent mind is perfect. Rasika Dugal knows she is the best. Pankaj Tripathi is on vacation this season, and his neck nod has taken some time off. The direction stays consistent but also goes haywire in parts. The music of Mirzapur Season 3 is very interesting. The BGM and BGS get innovative this time around and add a good layer.

Mirzapur Season 3 Review - Final Verdict

Mirzapur 3 shines the brightest in the last three episodes. But that doesn't mean the first seven can be lukewarm. A season that is spent building anticipation for the next is a risk, and only the audience will tell how it pays off. Do not miss the post-credits though!

Mirzapur Season 3 releases on Amazon Prime Video on July 5, 2024. Stay tuned to OTTplay for more information on this and everything else from the world of streaming and films.

Also Read: Mirzapur Season 3: Recap of the intense journey so far

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