Have you ever gone through that phase jisme you feel like watching nothing? Rom-coms start feeling too cheesy (as if khud ko bohot action mil raha hai), spy thrillers feel too much, and khud ke jeevan mein already itna drama hai ki Naseeruddin Shah ki movies toh kaun hi dekhe.
In that phase, picture this- A busy morning in a rural area. There’s a brawl between a shopkeeper and an ongoer. Why? Because the shopkeeper accidently spit out the water he was rinsing his mouth with, on his feet. A few metres away, there’s a man who has spotted an acquaintance, and is slowly lurking towards him, only to get the perfect tapli right on the latter’s head. And amidst all the chaos, is the chirping of the birds and a gentle breeze flowing. Calming, isn’t it? That’s exactly what Panchayat Season 2 brings on the table for its viewers.
Panchayat was never about an endearing plot or a tight intense screenplay. It’s USP still remains same– celebrating moments of absolute nothingness while cherishing the mundane and stagnant nature of life. And oh boy does it work wonders. But this time, it isn’t just free flowing humour. The plot isn’t full of the joys of spring. Apart from delivering the laughs, the show challenges you to think, introspect, and by the end, hold back your tears too.
It’s the same old Phulera gaon in UP where we resume the journey of our city buoy Abhishek aka humare Sachiv Ji who is on a mission to crack the CAT exams while grappling with the challenges of heading the village. This season dives deep into his relationships with the village locals and his bond with the Pradhan family and his colleagues Vikas and Prahlad. From navigating bureaucratic hurdles to tackling the ‘haan nahi toh’s and the ‘aye maharaj’s of the village, Abhishek’s escapades provide a barrel of laughs against the backdrop of rural India.
“Arrey nahi yaar, bas kharcha pani chal raha hai, 1.5 crore ka package hai.“
Jeetu bhaiya delivers a stellar performance as Abhishek, effortlessly going ‘idhar chala main udhar chala’ between slapstick comedy and genuine vulnerability. His scenes with the eccentric Pradhan Pati (played by the talented Raghubir Yadav) and the endearing Manju Devi, the real Pradhan (portrayed by the powerhouse Neena Gupta) remains to be one of my favourite moments from the show.
The characters of Siddharth (Satish Ray), Abhishek’s college friend and Prahlad (Faisal Malik), the aspiring writer, work really well as they add goofy quirkiness to the show. All in all, cast ne A1 job kiya hai to bring the characters to life, and making you fall in love with them all over again.
The screenplay of the show continues to impress the viewers. The picturesque cinematography beautifully captures the rustic charm of the villages, thus acting as a trip down memory lane for some while providing a completely new experience for others. The background score adds to the comedic timing, and does a good job in enhancing the overall tonality of the show. But the real king is the writing. The second season retains its superb economical storytelling. Whether it’s Abhishek’s witty comebacks or the banter between characters, the writing is a khazaana of hilarious moments that intertwine with serious and sharp dialogues at tense situations to keep the viewers engaged.
The finale fails to deliver up to its potential
However, the finale of the second season is, in my opinion, the weakest link of the series. Melodrama ki injection thoosne ke chakkar mein they end up forcing things and the addition of the shocking (but unnecessary) plot twist also kinda ruins the overall feel of it. But chalo theek hai, you win some and you lose some.
Panchayat S2 is a worthy second season with more hits than misses, and its unexpected ending has caused the audience to crave for more. It stumbles at times but still manages to cover it up and create a good overall impact. However, it will be interesting to see how the makers take things from here on as I’m afraid if there are a few more slip ups, we might just lose a gem.
