Review: 'Mirzapur Season 3' is that dish which goes by the phrase 'good food takes time to cook'

Almost after keeping us waiting for more than two years, the third season of Mirzapur is here with more drama, action, deceit and, of course, surprises. What kept us hooked to this show was firstly that it was amongst the beginners and one of a kind in this genre, and secondly, it had that premise to keep us glued for years and years. Of course, when you have built something like this, expectations are always attached, and here's the outcome. 

PS—this is not really a spoiler, and sadly, it reveals that—yes, Mumna Bhaiya is actually dead, and he is not a part of this season, so move on and look ahead.

Plot and Progression

Gurmeet Singh has created a world in Purvanchal where everyone is so involved in each other's lives that we don't know what is actually happening inside an individual's ordinary life and brain.

Right from the end of the last season, there are no whereabouts of Kaleen Bhaiyaa; the political scenario has changed, and CM Madhuri, who isn't shown mourning her husband's death, aims for a 'bhaymukhth' Pradesh. And if that was actually to be aimed at, we wouldn't even have more than two episodes of Mirzapur.

Guddu bhaiya and Golu do not necessarily gain the power to take over the gaddi because now there is interference from the east, and suddenly, 'baithaks' are being arranged in the state where every Bahubali thinks they will talk and come to a conclusion. Beena is giving shelter to Guddu and Golu and is trying her best to feel empowered, but she is reduced to a mere babysitter who gives random advice, takes random sides, and keeps cradling her baby.

Bharat Tyagi has joined hands with Sharad, and his purpose, along with Dadda, is to kill Golu. Robin has supposedly become the unofficial ghar jamai of the Panditdits family. He is taking care of Dimpy and her mother while Ramakant Pandit surrenders himself and lives by his morals and ethics in jail. Well, this is how the lives of all the pivotal characters are fighting with each other just to overpower them and satisfy their egos. 

Screenplay and Packaging

Someone in the show refers to Mirzapur as 'Mexico', and that's when you know what you have signed for. College students there don't need to worry about placements because the best lot is selected and placed at Guddu Bhaiya's factory to make guns. Now that's like landing in the Big 4's.  

The pace of the show is slow, and the buildup is quite dragged. In the first six episodes, things keep tangling and intertwining without adding much drama, with parallel stories taking development. This is what also makes it a bit cluttered, and there will be many moments and scenes that you will realise are unnecessary. But to the show's credit, the last three episodes are where the drama elevates and things move swiftly, leaving you hooked with that adrenaline pumping, keeping the essence of the show alive. Drama is at its peak, and things move swiftly, getting you all invested and, of course, building a foundation for Season 4. Yes, of course, no spoiler, but it's coming, and it's already promising. The action sequences are on point, the cuss words minimalised to a good extent, the gore elevating to a newer level, and, of course, more characters being introduced and eliminated. 

The real Bahubali's of the season

Talking about the character arcs and development, this time, Anjumm Sharma's character, Sharad, is the one playing from the forefront and takes most of the screen time. His arc is layered, and as Sharad, he totally keeps up with the writing and gives a lot of conviction to the premise. Isha Talwar, as CM Madhuri, is gentle and poised. She also gets a good screen time and an opportunity to try newer things. Ali Fazal as Guddu Bhaiyaa hasn't changed a bit and gives you everything you expect of him. Shweta Tripathi, as Golu, is fierce and does really well in some scenes, but I am actually awaiting her rise in the 4th chapter.

Other Performances

Pankaj Tripathi as Kaleen Bhaiyaa, unfortunately, is not the highlight of this season, especially in the earlier episodes, but his being the OG Bahubali ends it with a bang, which is worth waiting for. Beena Tripathi, aka Rasika, was given a great character arc and layers in season 2, and it made her character quite interesting, but this time, it felt a bit underwhelming. While she did her best of what was asked of her, I wished to see more of those grey shades emanating out of her. Vijay Verma was another underwhelming arc and character, not adding much to the narrative. 

Priyanshu Painyuili, Harshita  Gaur, Rajesh Tailang, Sheeba Chadha, Meghna Malik, Manu Rishi Chadha and others did a great job with their roles and skilfully added depth to the drama. 

Verdict

So overall, 'Mirzapur 3' takes its time to intensify and build up with the beginning episodes, making you feel blah but swiftly holding it all back, coming to the end and leaving you anticipated season 4 with the same enthusiasm and eagerness. 

Rating

***1/3 (3.5/5) stars

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