The latest season of Panchayat returns to the familiar village of Phulera, but things have taken a different turn. Manju Devi (Neena Gupta) enters the local elections with the lauki (bottle gourd) as her symbol, while her opponent Kranti Devi (Sunita Rajwar) selects the pressure cooker. What starts off as a light-hearted village election quickly grows into a tense and serious political battle.

The last season ended with fights and tension as election dates were announced. This season picks up from there, showing a power battle between Manju Devi and Kranti Devi, both aiming to be the next village leader or pradhan. Their supporters get deeply involved, and the peaceful charm of Phulera seems lost.

The show began with Abhishek Tripathi (Jitendra Kumar), an MBA hopeful who ends up as the village secretary. Although Manju Devi holds the title of pradhan, it’s her husband, popularly known as Pradhanji (played by Raghubir Yadav), who takes most of the decisions and manages the village affairs. The earlier episodes showed rural life with warmth, humour, and deep emotions. But with the new season, the show has become more serious. Episodes are longer, the issues are bigger, and there are more characters.

Unfortunately, the main characters like Pradhanji, Sachivji (Abhishek), Vikas (Chandan Roy), and Prahlad (Faisal Malik) don’t get as much attention as before. The female characters also seem to take a back seat. Just when we hoped Manju Devi would finally lead, or Rinki would shine on her own, the story doesn’t give them enough space. Even Kranti Devi, once a strong and bold character, feels weaker in this season.

The election drama could have been exciting, but it doesn’t feel as powerful as earlier storylines. Who can forget the scene with the missing slippers or Rinki facing a troubling suitor? Those moments had real emotion. In this season, the romance between Rinki and Sachivji appears in a few scattered scenes, and doesn’t feel as heartfelt.

It’s clear the creators wanted to expand the story and raise the drama. Some change is good, but here it affects the flow. The emotional scenes are heavy, but they don’t connect as strongly with the viewers.

Panchayat was loved for its simple storytelling, realistic setting, and lovable characters. It stood out because it didn’t rely on action or suspense, but instead showed real village life with humour and heart. Sadly, this season doesn’t quite capture that same magic. The world of Phulera feels more dramatic but less warm.

Panchayat Season 4

Creators: Deepak Kumar Mishra and Chandan Kumar

Cast: Jitendra Kumar, Neena Gupta, Raghubir Yadav, Faisal Malik, Chandan Roy, Sanvikaa, Durgesh Kumar, Sunita Rajwar, Pankaj Jha

Rating: ⭐⭐½ (2.5/5)

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Ritu Pansy

    Content Creator