No, Mirzapur is not based on a real story or true events. Mirzapur is an Indian Hindi-language action crime Amazon Prime Video series. The series is created by Karan Anshuman, along with Puneet Krishna and Vineet Krishna. It is produced by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar under the banner of Excel Entertainment. Mirzapur has completed three season till date.
Mirzapur series is an original fictional crime thriller. However, it takes inspiration from real-world gang activities and criminal bosses that have long plagued the North Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, especially its eastern part known as Purvanchal. The overall plot, characters and events are invented and dramatised for a hyper-real feel.
Plot Summary
Mirzapur is set in the lawless city of Mirzapur in Eastern Uttar Pradesh. The story centres on the Tripathi family mafia, led by the ruthless yet calculated Akhandanand “Kaleen Bhaiya” Tripathi. He controls the region’s gun and opium trade under the cover of his carpet export business. His volatile son Munna Tripathi covets the throne but faces challenges from rivals and newcomers.
The plot ignites when a wedding massacre by Munna entangles the powerful Tripathis and the middle-class Pandit family, including brothers Guddu and Bablu Pandit. Guddu and Bablu rise swiftly in the criminal underworld, threatening Munna’s position. This leads to deadly rivalries. The series then descends into a cycle of violence, criminal alliances and shocking betrayals involving gangsters, politicians and police.
Season 4 is currently in development. The series will continue to explore who will ultimately claim the throne of Mirzapur.
Key Facts and Reality
Creators of Mirzapur conducted extensive research in the interiors of Uttar Pradesh, particularly in the Purvanchal region. As per their own interviews, the creators learnt about local gun manufacturing colloquially known as desi katta, drug trade and gangster legends from former gangsters of the region.
The series is set in the real town of Mirzapur. However, in reality, Mirzapur is not a hub of gangsters and criminal activities, unlike what is portrayed in the series. It’s a relatively peaceful town with low crime rates and is replete with tourist spots, including waterfalls.
Some elements draw loose inspiration from real-world anecdotes. For instance, characters of Guddu and Bablu are partly based on stories of two brothers terrorising a town on a bike.