Set in the titular district around the north-eastern Indian city of Dhanbad, Gangs of Wasseypur is an extraordinary gangland saga following two rival clans over 70 bloodstained years.
Screening to critical praise during Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight, the two-parter begins with the rise of the sadistic Shahid Khan (Jaideep Ahlawat), who makes a living impersonating a legendary train robber, Sultana Daku, and working as a hired goon for local mining boss Ramadhir Singh (Tigmanshu Dhulia). But, threatened by Khan’s growing power, Singh has Khan killed, kick-starting a multi-generational, action-packed blood feud between the two rival families that lasts until the final reel.
Loosely based on a true story, Gangs of Wasseypur balances brutal violence with tongue-in-cheek comedy, taking the cinematic spectacle of Bollywood and adding a healthy dose of gritty realism.
Melbourne International Film Festival
