Is Dupahiya a True Story? Is Dhadakpur Based on a Real Village?

Created by Avinash Dwivedi, Chirag Garg, Salona Bains Joshi, and Shubh Shivdasani, Prime Video’s ‘Dupahiya’ centers on Dhadakpur, a peaceful village whose day-to-day life has been untouched by crime for 25 years. One day, the town’s impeccable reputation is brought into disrepute when a prized motorbike goes missing, forcing the inhabitants into a state of panic. Subsequently, they must join forces to get to the bottom of the mystery and find the bike before the crime-free silver jubilee celebration kicks into gear. Additionally, the pressure mounts as a wedding enters the fray, making those involved doubt whether retrieving the two-wheeler is possible given the chaos up ahead. The comedy series hinges on a whimsical and amusing story about the frantic need to preserve order through a village’s point of view, bringing a relatable angle to the narrative.

Dupahiya is a Fictional Story Set in the Fictional Village of Dhadakpur

Although ‘Dupahiya’ borders on heightened territory, the show’s emphasis lies on capturing the simplicity and chaos of India’s countryside and the distinctive lives led by residents of small villages. The script is penned by Avinash Dwivedi and Chirag Garg, touching upon the light, humorous interactions that define the quaint livelihoods of those living far from the trappings of urban cities. To that end, the central drama of the season hinges on the disappearance of a motorbike, a rare commodity in the outskirts of modernized cities. In Dhadakpur, this bike represents fortuitous things for those living small-town lives oblivious to modern inventions. Thus, everyone hastens to retrieve it when it goes missing, sparking the action and comedy into gear.

In a press statement, Nikhil Madhok, the head of originals at Prime Video India, stated, “The series beautifully blends humor, heart, and the essence of small-town India in a way that feels both distinctive and universally relatable.” Dhadakpur’s neighborhoods may be contextually different from villages and towns elsewhere. However, the lives led by the residents touch upon similar elements as compared to other small-town neighborhoods around the world. Director Sonam Nair also doubled down on those aspects by calling the series “a celebration of humor, chaos, and the quirks of small-town life.” Meanwhile, creators Joshi and Shivdasani highlighted the themes of family and universal dreams present throughout the series, which provides a better view of the characters’ inner lives.

The compelling aspect of ‘Dupahiya’ is its ability to illustrate Dhadakpur’s unsung inhabitants through a well-executed comedy that both amuses and intrigues in equal measure. The drama presented in the series is undoubtedly elevated to an extent. However, this does not detract from the aspects the show wants to authentically represent. The people in Dhadakpur are everyday people with everyday dreams. Their lives, while mundane, have special meaning due to the normalcy of their existence. In a comprehensive sense, the show’s emphasis is not on glorifying or adding artificial flavor to their stories but on presenting them through a lens of comedy fueled by their sense of humor and levity. It amuses in the right manner even if the actual village, people, and the events portrayed are fictionally conceived.