Saptarshi Nag
Panchayat season 4 is a desperate attempt to cash in on the love, admiration and success its predecessor seasons received for being original, grounded and simple. Like millions of Indians, I, too made it a habit to check a plethora of websites to gather information about its release date ever since the trailer had been launched. I was eagerly waiting for the election battle at Phulera. I was desperate to root for Abhishek once again in his quest to crack the MBA exam. The misdemeanours of Banrakas and his allies were too tempting to resist after the trailer was aired. Pradhan ji, Manju Devi, Prahlad Cha, Vikas or the effervescent Rinki, every character made us all wait in anticipation for yet another gem onscreen. But this time TVF has failed miserably in recreating the magic of the earlier seasons. This season is a big letdown and fails to keep even its ardent fans glued to the screen till the final episode.
The biggest problem with Panchayat Season 4 is that it has been rushed. Till the last season, the makers gave the viewers a breathing period of two years between two seasons. It allowed them to create contents rich in story, humour and originality. However, it was evident from the word ‘Go’ this time that the makers had to yield to the pressure of the OTT race for more viewership. Banality is commonplace this time. Subtle humour which has been the forte of the show thus far is terribly missing. The concept has been overcooked and most of the episodes are forced and devoid of the earthen aroma the show is known for.
In every season till the last year, the makers focused on every episode and the end product was a well-knit storyline that hooked its audience. Almost every episode had its own charm, own standalone story making the viewing experience a joyride for the watchers. This time, they deviated from this simplistic narrative and rather tried to weave the entire series on one story- panchayat election at Phulera. As a result, the episodes are forced, dragged and fail to make the season binge-watch worthy. The signature humour is sadly missing and most of the one-liners are silly and fail to land properly. The actors appear to be disenchanted and the season often tends to become a ship without a captain. The makers try hard to invoke emotions a number of times but their effort miserably fail to connect with the viewers. In the end, what could have been told in maximum three or four episodes, has been dragged to excruciating eight episodes. Glimpses of brilliance can still be found. The ‘murga’ scene at the residence of the MP is one such rare occasion where you get the golden touch back. But mostly the efforts are lopsided.
This much awaited season of Panchayat is a hurried attempt to scintillate the audience with the charms of its loved characters. But little attention has been paid to work on that charm to carry the story forward. Not much research was made on the Panchayat election process. While focusing on the candidatures of Manju Devi and Kranti Devi, nothing pertaining to the election of the other members including that of Madhav, the aspiring ‘Upa Pradhan’ was shown. Vidhayak ji was shown in his MLA residence full of security personnel even when he was no longer an MLA. The ED raid was nonsensical and had no real connection with the storyline. The subplot around Vinod was filmsy. The only saving grace in this otherwise bland show was Sanvikaa as the bubbly Rinki who brightens up the otherwise sombre screen every time with her natural presence. Jeetendra Kumar as Sachiv ji is often lost. Prahlad cha, undoubtedly the most loved character of the show is underutilized and Raghuvir Yadav as Pradhan ji is often over the top this time.
Overall, had it been any other show, we would have rated it ‘average’. But this was ‘Panchayat’ and sadly, I must say that it was a huge disappointment. The makers must take a pause this time and work on building a finale befitting to the brilliance of this great show. Till then, the ghosts of the season 4 will be haunting them.
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My rating of the season- 4.5 out of 10
