kviff.com
News
Festival Guide
  • Tickets and Festival Pass
  • Accommodations
  • Transportation
  • Festival cinemas
  • No Barriers project
  • Kids at the festival
  • Festival Shop
Program
  • Catalogue of films
  • Accompanying programme
  • Archive of films
  • Audience award
  • KVIFF Talks
  • Film Entry
Film Industry
  • Industry accreditation
  • Film Industry at KVIFF
  • Industry Days Programme
  • KVIFF Eastern Promises
  • KVIFF Talents
Press
  • Press accreditation
  • Press Service
  • For download
  • Press releases
  • Photogallery
  • Videogallery
About the festival
  • Festival description
  • Programme sections
  • Awards
  • History
  • We support non-profits
  • Photogallery
  • Partners
  • Why We Support the Festival
  • Contacts
CZ
Sign in
Film Archive

Gangs of Wasseypur

Tribute to Anurag Kashyap 2014 / Gangs of Wasseypur / India 2012

Kashyap’s brilliant, not to be missed, three-generation revenge epic, set amid the coal mafia of Jharkhand in North India, is seen as his crowning glory so far. The film addresses Indian socio-political issues from 1941 to 2009 through gang wars - topped with superb music and cheeky digs at Bollywood.

Gangs of Wasseypur Gangs of Wasseypur

Synopsis

With this two-part drama, screened at Cannes and Sundance, Kashyap consolidated his A-list reputation. In this three-generation revenge epic set amid the coal mafia of Jharkhand state in North India, Kashyap takes inspiration from The Godfather, then makes it entirely his own film, addressing Indian post-colonial, socio-political issues from 1941 to 2009. With a backdrop of superb music and sly digs at Bollywood, the focus here is merciless, coal gang warfare. The cinematography powerfully captures the mine-scarred landscape and the atmosphere of the populous city, and helps generate the plot’s rapid-fire tempo. Coal bandit Shahid Khan is caught and exiled from the region. Later he works in kingpin Ramadhir Singh’s colliery in Wasseypur, but Ramadhir sees him as a threat and murders him, triggering a feud between the Khans and Qureshis. Shahid’s son Sardar vows to avenge his father. Eliminating Ramadhir and becoming the most dreaded man in Wasseypur are now his reason for living. In part two, Shahid Khan’s grandson Faizal, an inveterate pot smoker, takes the lead. While his younger brothers vie for power, he is initially reluctant to inherit the mantle of revenge. But when Faizal finally becomes the don of Wasseypur, he awakens to the old feud, and his only ambition is to annihilate Ramadhir Singh. Wasseypur is now held hostage not only to former clan rivalry, but to much else besides. Their greed has spawned a new generation of opportunists, and the whole town is caught up in the vortex of chicanery and revenge. The film examines a microcosm of post-independent India, infested with mercenary gangs, corrupt government officials, and worse.

About the film

320 min / Color, DCP

Director Anurag Kashyap / Screenplay Zeeshan Qadri, Akhilesh, Sachin Ladia, Anurag Kashyap / Dir. of Photography Rajeev Ravi / Music Sneha Khanwalkar / Editor Shweta Venkat Matthew / Producer Guneet Monga, Sunil Bohra, Anurag Kashyap / Production AKFPL / Coproduction Viacom 18 Motion Pictures / Cast Manoj Bajpai, Richa Chadda, Reema Sen / Contact Elle Driver

Contacts

Elle Driver
44, Rue Blanche, 750 09, Paris
France
Phone: +33 156 434 870
Fax: +33 145 614 608
E-mail: [email protected]

Guests

Anurag Kashyap
Film Director

Other partners
Newsletter

First-hand brews throughout the year.
Be among the first to learn about upcoming events and other news. We only send the newsletter when we have something to say.

Follow us on the web:

The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
is part of the KVIFF Group family, which covers other projects as well:

© 2025 KVIFF GROUP

Rules for Visitors / Website visitors privacy policy / GTC / Personal Data Protection / Rules for Claim / Rules and Regulations / Contacts