Intro
After almost two years since the last season of Panchayat was aired, the fans have been treated with another installment of the series, taking everyone on a joy-filled journey through the politics of Phulera. I was impressed by the immense popularity of the series despite lacking a star-studded cast, which shows that people love an effortless storyline they can relate to. Panchayat was critically acclaimed by everyone and continues to be one of the top OTT series in India.
Storyline
The story continues in the village of Phulera, where people breathe politics. The dynamics shift every now and then, keeping the audience engaged and excited for more drama. Jitendra Kumar is back with his brilliant role of Abhishek Tripathi as the Sachiv of Phulera.
The village is divided into two factions as tensions rise ahead of the upcoming Panchayat elections. A group of villagers stand firmly behind Pradhan Manju Devi (played by Neena Gupta) and her husband Pradhan-pati Brij Bhushan Dubey (played by Raghuvir Yadav) while others support the local MLA, Chandra Kishore Singh (Pankaj Jha).
Manju and Brij Bhushan look to continue their dominance in the village while the villain MLA, introduced in the second season, is unhappy with Tripathi returning as the Sachiv of Phulera. The main highlight of the film is how the villagers show resistance to the MLA and his goons, and fight for their honor despite their internal differences.
Verdict
I feel that the storytelling of Panchayat is still top-notch, and the depiction of characters looks convincing. The series still leaves a lot of questions unanswered but builds up nicely along the way. Despite having its slow moments, the series has no shortage of emotional and funny, along with serious cliffhangers.
The actors, especially Manju Devi and her daughter Rinki, have evolved compared to previous seasons of Panchayat and do justice to the complex storyline. Sachiv Tripathi also looks more comfortable in his job. However, as a true fan of the Panchayat series I missed the innocence and simplicity of the rural Phulera everyone was used to in the previous seasons.
All in all, it is a great watch for fans and newcomers alike.