EXCLUSIVE: Mirzapur Season 3’s Anjumm Shharma defends show's pace, explains less violence, vulgarity, and use of cuss words sparked criticism; calls audiences’ expectations the reason for the change being unsettling: “This season, the drama is really nice”

Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani’s production, the popular web series Mirzapur, made its much-anticipated return with its third season on Amazon Prime Video on July 5. After nearly four years, fans rejoiced as the show returned, flooding social media with praise. However, some viewers have expressed disappointment, criticizing the season for its slow pace, describing it as merely a build-up for a potential fourth season.Anjumm Shharma Responds to CriticismAnjumm Shharma, who portrays Sharad Shukla in the series, recently spoke exclusively to Bollywood Hungama about these critiques. When asked if the slower pace was a deliberate choice, Shharma explained, “There is a slight sense of doing it intentionally for it to lead to another season, or there would be another trigger of a new story coming out. That is how actually all the seasons were made.”Shharma further elaborated that the show's evolution and character development required a change in pacing. “The tonality of the season is slightly different from season one because the story has moved on. The characters have matured. Guddu is not the same Guddu from season one, and Sharad has seen significant loss and changes in his life,” he added.Addressing Viewer ExpectationsShharma acknowledged the audience's high expectations and the initial mixed reactions. He likened it to craving a favourite dish and receiving something different: “It's like you're hungry and you really craved for Pav-Bhaji for three years, but suddenly you have not been given Pav-Bhaji, you have been given a 'Kamal ka dosa.' Initially, it's unsettling, but eventually, you realize the dosa is also good.” He further added, “There are different kinds of people who we are meeting, fans and audiences, who are saying this season, the drama is really nice.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anjumm shharma (@anjumsharma)He noted that the reduced violence, vulgarity, and foul language in the latest season—elements previously criticized—now contribute to the mixed reviews. Shharma emphasized that these changes were part of the show’s natural progression and aligned with international drama standards.Joining the Primary Cast in Season 2Reflecting on his experience joining the main cast in season two, Shharma admitted it was challenging due to the pressure to match established characters and actors. He said, “It was very challenging, and there was a lot of pressure. I often make fun of this situation and say, that I had to hit six on every ball otherwise I am out. But I think somewhere these things were there at the back of my mind, but then after, when I started working on season two, all these things just took a backseat.”He recalled Gurmeet Singh, the director of the show, telling him, “He told me this much later, but this is what his reason was. He said because we knew that this character would expand, would develop in season two. So we wanted an actor who has strength and a hold of his own, and who can stand and hold his ground in front of all these actors.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anjumm shharma (@anjumsharma)Off-Screen Camaraderie with Ali FazalShharma also shed light on his off-screen relationship with Ali Fazal, who plays his on-screen rival Guddu. He described their dynamic as “very professional, very friendly, very supportive,” extending beyond Mirzapur. “There has been a lot of mutual support for other things... I think that is why, also as actors, we are able to bring the clash of Guru and Sharad, because the off-screen equation in chemistry is very friendly, very supportive, very interdependent, very comfortable, very warm,” Shharma said. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mirzapur Amazon (@yehhaimirzapur)Mirzapur season 3 is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.Also Read: Rasika Dugal on returning to Mirzapur in Season 3, “The manic following of the show is so heart-warming”