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Panchayat, a popular show, has returned for its third season. After teasing the public for a while, Prime Video has finally released the series, and we'll see if it lived up to the hype. This time, the series delves further into rural Indian politics, creating a complicated tapestry of bureaucracy and local intrigue.
Release Date: May 28, 2024
Starring: Jitendra Kumar, Neena Gupta, Raghubir Yadav, Faisal Malik, Sanvikaa, Chandan Roy, Pankaj Jha, Durgesh Kumar
Director: Deepak Kumar Mishra
Backstory - Panchayat Season 1 & 2
The first two seasons (2020 and 2022) were slice-of-life comedy in which writer Chandan Kumar and director Deepak Kumar Mishra made humour out of ordinary events.
Manju Devi (Neena Gupta), the village's Pradhan, is a figurehead who was elected due to women's reservation in panchayats.
As is the situation in many locations, her husband, Brij Bhushan Dubey (Raghubir Yadav), is the de facto headman and is referred to as Pradhanji by everyone. There is no condemnation of this conduct; it is accepted and playfully ridiculed.
However, over the course of two seasons, the illiterate Manju Devi, who was unfamiliar with the national song, has grown in confidence. In Season 3, she makes much greater use of her strength and voice.
At the end of the second season, two big incidents occurred: Abhishek was transferred by the angry MLA Chandrakishore Singh (Pankaj Jha), and Prahlad's military son was murdered on the battlefield, which was an unexpectedly melancholy turn for the normally upbeat series.
Panchayat Season 3 Web Series Plot
The 3rd season picks up from that point. Prahlad (Faisal Malik) suffers from depression following his son's death and becomes hooked to alcohol. Sachiv Abhishek Tripathi (Jitendra Kumar) is transferred, which annoys Bhushan Dubey (Raghubir Yadav), Prahlad, and Vikas (Chandan Roy).
The trio goes to great lengths to prevent someone else from becoming Sachiv (Secretary) of Phulera village. They succeed in their attempt, and Abhishek Tripathi returns to his village. This is also when resentment grows between Phulera village and MLA Chandrakishore Singh (Pankaj Jha).
Panchayat Season 3 Review
Neena Gupta and Faisal Malik's well-developed characters are the most notable aspects of "Panchayat 3." This season, they excel with captivating performances. Neena Gupta enthralls with her portrayal as she moves from a proxy presidency to a more active role. The way Prahlad's anguish is portrayed by Faisal Malik is incredibly poignant and gives the program more emotional depth.
In addition, Raghubir Yadav, Chandan Roy, Pankaj Jha, and Durgesh Kumar have given outstanding supporting performances. All the supporting characters have shown a well-developed persona, and they are all noticeable. There is a good cliffhanger at the conclusion.
More politics than comedy
The lighthearted tone and breezy comedy of the Panchayat franchise are its USPs, but in the third season, politics take center stage and things get rather serious. The new season, in contrast to the previous two, focuses solely on one issue, so viewers hoping for humor may be a little let down. The program may have been even better if it had found a way to balance the serious and sentimental sections.
In numerous scenes, the rhythm is still slow, and the editing crew might have done a far better job. Because of the high bar that the creators set, the third season is a little less impressive than the first two. There should be some belly-laugh-inducing scenes because a major character from Panchayat 1 is back, but the writing isn't up to par.
Final Note
Overall, the third season of Panchayat features poignant moments and strong performances from the main characters. The supporting cast members performed admirably as well, and they saw more on screen time. Although the first two seasons are renowned for their lightheartedness, the new season takes things seriously, emphasizing emotions and politics. While there are some interesting moments, the franchise's unique selling point—humor—is absent. In addition, the tempo is quite slow, and certain situations are extended needlessly. You can watch this series if you don't mind these shortcomings.