The Dark Allure of Bihar's Political Dramas
If you think Indian politics is all sound and fury, wait till you see how Bihar does it. A bunch of filmmakers and showrunners have turned Bihar’s turbulent corridors of power into unforgettable binge material. From scams and caste wars to criminal empires and police crackdowns, these stories are inspired by real events and people who once turned Bihar into either a headline or a punchline. Here’s a look at the titles that tackle the state's most explosive moments, putting its harsh realities in the limelight like nothing else.
- Maharani (SonyLIV, 2021): It’s tough to top a show that takes inspiration directly from one of the biggest political upsets in recent memory—the rise of Rabri Devi from homemaker to the chief minister of Bihar. Huma Qureshi steps into the shoes of Rani Bharti, suddenly pushed into power after her husband’s arrest. The show doesn’t just stop at political drama. It unpacks caste rivalries, the Laxmanpur Bathe massacre, Naxalite stirrings, and that infamous Fodder Scam, all wrapped up in one relentless ride.
- Khakee: The Bihar Chapter (Netflix, 2022): Forget about hero cops from the movies—this web series looks at real officers facing Bihar’s deadly gangsters, where every encounter could be your last. The corruption is suffocating, and the line between criminal and cop gets blurry real fast. If you want a Bihar politics drama that’s as tense as it is real, you won’t look away.
- Grahan (Disney+ Hotstar, 2021): This one throws you between timelines. One part explores the wounds of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, while another follows a heart-wrenching love story tangled in Bihar’s caste structure. Expect secrets, betrayals, and tough questions about identity and forgiveness.
- Jamtara: Sabka Number Ayega (Netflix, 2020): Set on the Jharkhand-Bihar edge, this series is a gritty look at how teens and small-town crooks cornered India’s phishing ‘industry’, with a side of political muscle. It’s small-town ambition meeting big-time crime, and you’ll get why Bihar’s cybercrime headlines seem all too real.
- Mirzapur (Amazon Prime Video, 2018): Okay, it’s officially set in Uttar Pradesh, but the flavor is familiar to anyone following Bihar’s power games. Ruthless dons, shifting alliances, and feuding families all nod to Bihar’s way of doing business—where politics and crime are like blood relatives.
- Rangbaaz: Darr Ki Rajneeti (Zee5, 2022): Inspired by the life of Mohammad Shahabuddin, a feared gangster-turned-netajee, this show delves into what happens when criminals step into the assembly house. The stakes are high, the action is raw, and the moral lines are non-existent.
Other Series with Bihar in the Shadows
Even when shows aren’t rooted in Bihar, its influence sneaks in. “CAT” (Netflix) may be about Punjab’s drug problem, but Bihar’s trafficking routes get a shout-out. “Humble Politician Nograj” (Voot) pokes fun at Indian politics while winking at regional quirks that folks from Bihar will recognize instantly.
These films and series don’t just retell political scandals and gang wars for shock value. They unravel how regular folks get sucked into the grind of power struggles, how caste can still decide a person’s fate, and how even a small-town scam can spiral into a national crisis. If you dig raw, unfiltered political drama, these titles are your next watchlist fix.
