The first season consists of 9 episodes. The series is known for its raw, unflinching portrayal of the criminal-politician nexus and has been praised for its performances and authentic atmosphere.
(renamed Shiv Prakash Shukla), a student turned deadly gangster from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. Season 2: Rangbaaz Phirse (2019): Follows the rise and fall of Anandpal Singh (renamed Amarpal Singh), a feared gangster from Rajasthan. Season 3: Darr Ki Rajneeti (2022): Loosely based on the life of gangster-turned-politician Mohammad Shahabuddin (renamed Haroon Shah Ali Baig) from Bihar. Season 1 (2018) Detailed Guide
⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5) – A bullet-riddled masterpiece of small-town savagery.
A breakdown of the that inspired the character of Shiv Prakash Shukla. - Rangbaaz -2018- Hindi - Complete WEB SERIES -...
Released in December 2018, Rangbaaz arrived during the foundational boom of Indian OTT platforms. Alongside shows like Sacred Games and Mirzapur , it proved that Indian audiences possessed a massive appetite for long-form, gritty, localized storytelling. The success of the complete web series established ZEE5 as a serious competitor in the original content landscape and spawned a successful anthology franchise ( Rangbaaz: Phirse in 2019 and Rangbaaz: Darr Ki Rajneeti in 2022).
Due to the success of the , ZEE5 expanded it into an anthology franchise:
Released on December 22, 2018, is a ZEE5 original crime-drama series that chronicles the rise of one of India's most notorious real-life gangsters. The first season is set in the 1990s against the rustic backdrop of Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. Core Story & Inspiration The first season consists of 9 episodes
Rangbaaz is not just a story of crime; it is the chilling, unflinching biography of a man who rose from a timid college student to one of the most feared gangsters in Uttar Pradesh. Loosely based on the real-life exploits of (a notorious don from the Purvanchal region), the series unfolds in the lawless hinterlands of Gorakhpur and Azamgarh during the 1990s–2000s.
Acclaimed filmmaker and actor Tigmanshu Dhulia infuses the character of the mastermind politician with a chilling, calculated calm. Tiwari represents the white-collar criminal elite who use passionate youths as disposable pawns in their chess game for political supremacy.
: The story traces Shiv Prakash Shukla's journey from a meritorious college student at DDU Gorakhpur to a cold-blooded contract killer. Season 2: Rangbaaz Phirse (2019): Follows the rise
4/5 Stars. (A gritty, grounded, and deeply unsettling look at the making of a mafia don).
(Saqib Saleem), a young college student whose life takes a dark turn after a single fateful act of violence committed in defense of his sister's honor. He enters the world of organized crime under the protection of powerful political figures and eventually becomes India’s second most-wanted criminal. The series depicts his rapid rise and the subsequent manhunt led by the Special Task Force (STF) officer Siddharth Pandey (Ranvir Shorey). Primary Cast & Characters Role Description Saqib Saleem Shiv Prakash Shukla The protagonist and dreaded gangster Ranvir Shorey Siddharth Pandey The honest STF officer determined to capture Shiv Tigmanshu Dhulia Ramshankar Tiwari A powerful and manipulative politician Aahana Kumra Babita Sharma Shiv’s love interest Ravi Kishan Chandrabhan Singh A local strongman/politician Critical Reception