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There is a scene in Panchayat Season 3 when Abhishek Tripathi (Jitendra Kumar) gazes out of his humble accommodation in the Panchayat office with a hint of a smile on his face. He sees the familiar katcha road, mud-and-brick houses, a tall water tank, and the village he once despised but has grown to love. Though he hasn’t openly admitted to this change in heart, his quick return to Phulera after his transfer was cancelled reveals his fondness for this scenery he once thought banal.
While it took time for Abhishek to warm up to Phulera, I have romanticised his life since Season 1. Who wouldn’t want the peace and calm that a scantily populated village, home to mostly good-natured individuals, can provide? As I expressed my fondness for this Malgudi Days-like sweet life, my mother, who has spent most of her life teaching kids in villages, smirked and said, ‘You wouldn’t last a day.’ Panchayat’s latest season taught me why.
After giving us almost idyllic village life for most part of the first two seasons, the makers marched towards reality in Season 3. The new season saw Phulera sink further into the mire of petty politicians. The thin wooden stick with which Abhishek took on the goons of Fakoli Bazaar in Season 1 is now replaced with thick, sharpened bamboo poles and, worse, guns.
The arrogant, foul-mouthed MLA, who was insulted and banished from Phulera by Manju Devi (Neena Gupta) in the previous season, returns to the same spot, but this time with guns and goons. In response, the innocent-looking villagers dig out guns from their modest closets — who knew they had them in the first place? Dubey Ji’s (Raghubir Yadav) politics becomes more brazen, selfish, and obvious, fueling Bhushan’s (Durgesh Kumar) fury, who devises more cunning and deadly methods to dethrone him. The end result is a show caught between its feel-good vibe and its ambition to break the mould and venture into a new territory.
Durgesh Kumar and Ashok Pathak in a still from Panchayat Season 3.
In between these serious themes, the makers try to maintain the show’s light-heartedness and play down the situation. For instance, the MLA is involved in a murder, but it’s of a dog. In a hilarious scene, two hired thugs surround their prey from both sides, only to get caught up in dialogue-baazi, letting their prey slip away. Abhishek and Rinky’s romance finally progresses as the characters slowly acknowledge their feelings. The lead characters’ affection for each other, especially towards the grief-stricken Prahlad (Faisal Malik), provides the heartwarming moments the show is known for.
Faisal Malik in a still from Panchayat Season 3.
However, these attempts can’t completely mask the season’s serious, grim undertone. After all, it’s hard to laugh when men are pointing guns at each other with blood in their eyes. The new episodes also have a distinct whiff of Mirzapur, which isn’t good news for Panchayat’s ardent fans. They loved the show for its innocence, simplicity, and nostalgia, finding excitement in the mundane activities of Phulera residents.
The charm of watching Abhishek struggle with basic village amenities, the innocent banter between villagers, and the quirky but heartfelt village politics has been overshadowed by darker themes. This shift from light-hearted village tales to intense, politically charged drama feels like a jarring leap, leaving fans yearning for the feel-good essence that originally drew them to the show.
While it’s understandable that a story—and to an extent, its characters—matures with time, is it necessary to take the same route as any other political thriller set in the hinterland? As there is no dearth of content in this genre, seen in shows and films like Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein, Guns and Gulaabs, Maharani, Jamtara, Masaan, and more. So, why compromise on the show’s unique charm and place it in the same assembly line?
After inviting a political maelstrom to Phulera, it will be a challenge for the makers to retain the show’s easy-breezy vibe in the future seasons. Balancing this shift remains to be seen, but for now, the “Phul” of Phulera has turned brittle under the harsh sun of eight intense episodes. It needs to return to the shade and be nourished with the love and affection of the first two seasons.
You can watch Panchayat Season 3 on Amazon Prime Video.
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