Review: Power and Perseverance: Unraveling ‘Maharani’ Season 3

The third season of political drama ‘Maharani’ was released on Sony LIV recently. Set in 2003 Bihar, the series explores the state’s political realities through the fictionalised character of Rani Bharati, Ex-CM and wife of slain Ex-CM Bheema Bharati, portrayed by Huma Qureshi.

Season-3 starts with Rani Bharati imprisoned for allegedly murdering her husband and Naveen Kumar, arch rival, and the real murderer of Bheema at the helm of state’s affairs as CM.

The third season, delves deeper into the complex political landscape of Bihar even as Rani plots her revenge from behind bars with the help of her loyal allies.

Despite exploring themes of revenge and justice, Maharani Season 3 also sheds light on the grim reality of Bihar’s illegal liquor trade, adding depth to its socio-political commentary.

Created by Subhash Kapoor and helmed by director Saurabh Bhave, Maharani Season 3 promises an intense storyline filled with twists and turns.
The narrative is tight and the pace of the preceding seasons is maintained well! The scope and the canvas, this season is bigger than ever, but it is the script and dialogs that steal the show.
Case in point, when Vidhayak, Gauri Shankar Pandey, facing adverse circumstances, approaches Kunwar Singh (illicit liquor manufacturer) to propose an alliance, who in turn ridicules him and his worthlessness in the galleys of power, wins the argument, by starting with a rhetoric confirming the facts stated by Kunwar , but convincingly concludes by saying that it is these very circumstances that make him a dangerous opponent and a worthy allay.
The narrative, chooses to reveal relevant and important facts at just the right time, making the viewers stay invested in the series, even though the end is predictable.
In one of the initial episodes itself, Rani Bharati’s targets are revealed to all; it is the journey of making them pay for their actions and how she goes about it, is the crux of the show!
The plot also showcases, human behaviour and how we react to different situations at different times; in one of the scenes, loyal aid of Naveen Kumar, Musafir Baitha, when sworn as CM for 1-month, suddenly finds himself wanting to do something worthwhile in his tenure; he commissions a hospital for his constituency, which is dismissed by Naveen that then creates a rift between the two.
The series boasts stellar performances, with Huma Qureshi delivering a standout portrayal of Rani Bharti, showcasing her strength and determination amidst adversity. Amit Sial impresses as Naveen Babu, bringing depth to his character despite facing formidable opposition.
Vineet Kumar as Vidhayak Gauri Shankar Pandey, Sushil Pandey as Kunwar Singh, Promod Pathak as Mishraji, Atul Tiwari as Governor Gowardhan Das, Nirmal Kant Chaudhary as Musafir Baitha also stand out for their performances.
One of the few shows, that essay the political reality of our times, Maharani season-3 is highly recommended to all OTT buffs.