The strength of Panchayat lies in its simplistic and relatable depiction of rural life. To their credit, its creators understand this quite well and have refrained from resorting to any obvious gimmick even while adding social commentary to the narrative. Remaining faithful to its original tone and vibes, they have yet again pushed the boundaries in the third season. The eight-part season explores bigger themes; lets its characters’ arcs develop further; and creates more dramatic moments.
The second season ended with a gut-punch when the death of Rahul, an army man and son of Phulera Panchayat’s deputy chief Prahlad (Faisal Malik), reached the village. The climax witnessed the head of Panchayat, Manju Devi (Neena Gupta), stopping the local MLA (Pankaj Jha) from trying to gain political mileage while Phulera is dealing with the tragedy. Another cliffhanger was Panchayat secretary Abhishek Tripathy (Jitendra Kumar) getting transferred.
When we meet them in Season 3, Prahlad is grieving the loss of his son. Manju Devi is now more involved with the Panchayat affairs and appears sure-footed regarding how to tackle political huddles. Abhishek is happy to be back in Phulera when his transfer is stalled. While the canvas remains the same, the narrative encompasses more drama and sub-plots.
Panchayat, written by Chandan Kumar (who is also credited as one of its co-creators), carries the feel of accurately grasping the mind and life of people in a remote village. In the new season, the show reveals more about its characters, their desires and dreams, without losing its signature breeziness. The show — which boasts of an impressive ensemble cast — makes supporting characters like Bhusan (Durgesh Kumar) more prominent with Vinod and Madhav (who became popular in the previous season) shown as his allies.
What’s fascinating this season is the subtle transformation of certain characters. Manju Devi was earlier happy to be behind the scene, letting her husband call the shots. The show, which has tracked her gradual growth as a competent Sarpanch, showcases her political instincts. She is also more supportive when her daughter Rinki (Sanvikaa) wants to get a degree and, later, a job. The triumph of the show’s writing has been its directness without being preachy. The changes in Manju Devi and Rinki are never underlined but shown as their natural progression. Ditto in case of the Panchayat secretary, who gets way more involved in the village politics than he should.
The main dramatic conflict this season is over Phulera residents’ primary woe — lack of proper road — and the MLA trying to settle a score with Pradhan (Raghubir Yadav). Panchayat came as a refreshing change amidst other shows set in smaller towns as it kept violence and expletives at bay. The tension rises in Phulera this time but it does not opt for the lets-shock-the-audience kind of violence. When a fight does break out or a man is chased in a farming field, it appears unchoreographed and real — far from the stylised sequences flooding the OTT space.
Festive offer
Understated charm and high-drama in mundane village scenarios have been the show’s highlights. Panchayat capitalises on them while casting its net wide this season. But the series stays within the world of familiar peculiarities and challenges.
Panchayat Season 3
Director: Deepak Kumar Mishra
Cast: Jitendra Kumar, Raghubir Yadav, Neena Gupta, Sanvikaa, Chandan Roy, Faisal Malik, Durgesh Kumar, Sunita Rajwar, Pankaj Jha
