Two families, one driven by power, one by love, fight for power and revenge. This forms the basic plot of Mirzapur… and Game of Thrones.
After two seasons of Mirzapur, that ended in surprising plot twists, a fair share of bloodshed, and unexpected character deaths, the following similarities between the plots and characters seem far too obvious to ignore:
1. Munna Tripathi – Joffrey Baratheon
Entitled brats with more ego than sense? If that doesn’t describe Munna and Joffrey, then what does! In both cases, Munna and Joffrey are driven to debauchery, and lured by power, even though they are incapable of ruling justly.
2. Beena Tripathi – Cersei Lannister
Both Beena and Cersei are first and foremost protective mothers. It is for their children that both women lie, cheat, and manipulate their way to consolidate power, thus safeguarding their child’s future.
Both are strong women, who are not always right morally. They don’t attack patriarchy head-on but rather subtly work to topple the power structure. And at one point, both of them contemplated suicide to escape a fate worse than death.
3. Akhandanand (Kaleen) Tripathi – Robert Baratheon
Yes, unlike Robert Baratheon, Kaleen bhaiya does not act first and think later. But, their love for power and their ability to command an equal mixture of fear and respect from people, is what makes the two quite similar. Especially when you add their wive’s thinly veiled disdain for them in the mix.
4. Bau Ji – Tywin Lannister
Tywin Lannister and Bau ji were both people whose craftiness score was high and the morality score, low. Their experience made them the right people to rule from the shadows, effectively guiding the ruler of King’s Landing and Mirzapur respectively.
5. Raja: Lancel Lannister
Beena’s lover and trusted servant played the same role in Mirzapur that Cersei’s distant cousin Lancel did in the initial season of GoT – to be their most dependable aide, helping them eliminate their enemies.
Just like Lancel provided laced wine to Robert, thereby killing him, Raja too killed off the doctor who knew the truth about Beena’s pregnancy.
6. Maqbool: The Hound
The king’s most trusted servant, who turns against the very person he was sworn to protect, after one too many lines are crossed! Is there even a question on why Maqbool and Sandor (Hound) Clegane appear to be similar?
7. Bablu Pandit: Robb Stark
The hero everyone rooted for, Robb Stark and Bablu Pandit were idealistic leaders of King’s Landing and Mirzapur respectively. And in both cases, their death was unexpected and hard-hitting.
8. Guddu Pandit: Jon Snow
Admittedly, it’s not an obvious similarity. But closely observed, both characters are driven to wage a war, out of the need for revenge and desire to protect their loved ones.
9. Sweety Gupta: Talisa Stark
Sweety and Talisa are women who are not unaware of their world’s harsh realities but refuse to be consumed by it. Rather, they find their own little world of happiness. And this is why, when fate (or sadistic writers) intervenes, their death leaves a deep emotional impact.
10. Golu Gupta: Arya Stark
If you were the kind to trust a warrior’s capabilities on looks alone, you’d probably dismiss both Golu Gupta and Arya Stark. And that’ll be a mistake. Because both women are better at fighting than they are in matters of the heart. And even Jon Snow has nothing in front of them when it comes to avenging their loved ones.
11. Dimpy: Sansa Stark
Both Sansa and Dimpy are dragged into a war they never wanted to be a part of, and both learn to live with their losses in a way that does not involve taking up weapons. However, that is, in no way, an indication of their fighting spirit.
If this assumption proves to be correct, Dimpy’s character may just become far more layered and complex than before.
12. Ramakant Pandit: Eddard ‘Ned’ Stark
In a world of crime and deceit, he stands as the lone voice of truth and idealism. Someone who would sacrifice his own children but not take a stand against the law, Ramakant Tripathi is the mirror image of Ned Stark.
13. Vasudha Pandit: Catelyn Stark
Both Vasudha and Catelyn are strong women, aged beyond their years by their child’s untimely death and driven to seek justice for the same.
14. Madhuri Yadav: Margaery Tyrell
Both Madhuri and Margaery played the ‘outsider’ who weaves enough influence to not just win over the King’s family but also, place herself in a position to effectively rule the kingdom. Both are fare more intelligent and clever than people recognize – a fact that easily plays to their advantage.
And, let’s not forget, both are recognized as a worthy enemy by the ‘Queen’ i.e. Beena and Cersei respectively.
15. Inspector Maurya: The High Sparrow
Inspector Maurya and The High Sparrow are a representation of how anything, even the ‘quest for justice’, can turn evil if taken to extremes. As his power base increases, High Sparrow’s mission turns from saving the people to ruling them. Similarly, Maurya, who starts as an officer on a mission to rid Mirzapur of crime, ends up abusing his authority to torture a deaf and mute suspected criminal, and even plans to unfairly kill a defenseless Guddu.
16. Sharad Shukla: Rob Arryn
It’s true that Rob Arryn had a far smaller role in comparison because Sharad Shukla has cemented his position as one of the key players in the game. But, both are involved in the tussle for power after their father’s deaths, and in times of crisis, both seek out their mother’s advice.
17. Robin: Petyr Baelish (Littlefinger)
The ‘jack of all trades’ who always has a trick up his sleeve, and a finger on the pulse of the city, this is a character whose intentions you can never be clear of. And who has the ability to usurp even the best-laid plans.
18. Lala: Mance Rayder (The King-Beyond-the-Wall)
While Mirzapur is yet to explore Lala’s character in its entirety, he certainly reminds us of Mance Rayder, the ‘other king’ in Westeros. He can come to an uneasy truce with the ruler of Mirzapur, but ultimately, he will look after his own people and interests first.
19. Shabnam: Ygritte
The woman who shows Guddu Pandit that there is more to life than the harsh rules he’s set for himself, Shabnam served as a striking reminder of Ygritte.
20. Zarina: Shae
Just like Shae, there’s more to Zarina than what meets the face. Both are women who look after their own interests and are not afraid to shift allegiances, if it serves their purpose.
Apart from these, the Tyagi brothers do exhibit hints of Oberyn Martell’s personality, but it’s hard for even two characters to accurately represent Martell’s multifaceted, vibrant personality.
There were also several motifs and climactic moments in the two show that appeared to be eerily similar.
Mirzapur is essentially the King’s Landing, and the ruler of that one area becomes the ruler of the entire state.
The Wedding Massacre of Mirzapur is a stark reminder of the infamous Red Wedding of GoT.
And Kaleen bhaiya’s haveli, or more accurately his chair aka throne, is similar to the coveted Iron Throne from GoT.
Not just a coincidence!