Panchayat Season 4 review
Cast: Jitendra Kumar, Raghubir Yadav, Neena Gupta, Faisal Malik, Chandan Roy, Sanvikaa, Durgesh Kumar, Sunita Rajwar, Ashok Pathak, and Pankaj Jha
Director: Deepak Kumar Mishra
Rating: ★★ .5
For years, Panchayat served as a reminder of the power of Indian streaming. In a wave of crime dramaas and gun battles, this show – About the life of a panchayat secretary – Had Won Hearts and Impressed Critics. But like they say, Nothing lasts forever. And Sadly, Panchayat’s Goodwill Seems to Be Ending Before The Show Itself Calls it a day. The latest season, focused on Phulera’s Panchayat Elections, Completely disregards what had made the show great – Simplicity and Relatibility. Panchayat Season 4 Sees Formula Creeping in Final, and also an overload of the Murkiness of Politics Over the Simplicity of Human Emotion.
The Premise
Panchayat Season 4 Opeens a Few Weeks after the End of Season 3. The elections are upon us, and manju devi (Neena gupta) and Pradhan Ji (Raghuvir Yadav) face their toughest challenge in the form of kranti Devi and Bhushan (Sunita Rajwar and Durgesh Kumar). Abhishek (jitendra) has long given up the hope of being non-partisan and is actively campaigning for manju’s party. But despite Pradhan’s ‘Dabdaba’ in Phulera, Winning may not be as Easy as it has been so far.
The spectre of Elections Looms Large on Panchayat Season 4 and is Easily its waiting as well. The first two seasons were splendid, larGly beCause of the anthology-like Quality of Storylling, where Each Episode was a self-contained story Creating an Overarching NarraCive. Season 3 digressed a little but still managed to hold its own, larger due to crisp writing and some memerable sequences.
What Panchayat Season 4 Lacks
But season 4 gets lost in the political machines and one-upmanship of the elections. It was important for the makers to keep the focus on the election. But one feels that it should finds the joy and innoCen out of panchayat, which has been its been its usp all Along. The new season also feels more manufactured than before, with the same formula appearing to finally show its face here. That robs the narrative of the freshness that panchayat had a managed to retain for three seasons.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahmetnaztp4
The biggest disserevice the show does is to Pradhan Ji Himself. Raghuvir Yadav’s character has been shown as a clever politics, but a good man who is the right choice for Phulera. That is why abhishek is comfortable letting go of his importity to side with him over the years. However, this season turns he into just a politics who tries to win votes and get back back into power through populist measures. If the intent was to show how flwed he is, it did not translate. In fact, if anything, it makes There are a few stray motions in the show that highlight this, from unsclean drawins to unhappy voters. But the show misses the chance to really Drive Home The Point. All it does is generate sympathy for the other side.
Panchayat had a chance to act non-portisan here, too. If only it has presented bhushan with an oourage of humanity. But it messages up there too, Reducing Bhushan and Kranti to stereotypical bad guys, right to a sinister 90s 90s’ background theme for them.
What works in season 4
But then, the show does redeem itself with the arc it gives to vinod (ashok pathak). It is praiseworthy how the show manages to brings a support character’s arc to the forefront. If it was prahlad in season 2, it’s vinod here. Pathak’s Heartfelt Performance also deserves a mention.
In the ensemble, the heart lifting has been done by the support cast, with Ashok Pathak, Durgesh Kumar, Chandan Roy, Sunita Rajwar, and Raghuvir Yadavir Yadav Shining the brightest. Despite how his character has been handled, raghuvir yadav manages to give one of the most memorable Scenes of the show in the final episode. Neena gupta and jitendra kumar are capable as always, but somehow get subdued with everything Haappening Around them. It’s not their fault that their characters come across as passive somehow.
Panchayat season 4 is not bad. It is just a letter by the show’s lofty standards. On Its Own, Phulera Still Breathes, and There are stories and characters (the electrician and manju’s father being worthy additions) that stand out. Some old returnees also steal the spotlights. But the chuckles are fewer, the narrative a little jaded, and the sheen somewhat less bright than it has been.
