Panchayat Season 4 Review: Politics Overpowers Charm

Panchayat Season 4 Review: The long-awaited Panchayat Season 4 has finally arrived on streaming platforms. But for fans of the show, there may be something missing in the quaint charm and mild storytelling that existed in the previous run of this rural dramedy. The other seasons were adored for their down-to-earth storytelling and great characters. Season 4 moves fearlessly towards the political — one that has resulted in mixed responses.

From Ease to Planning

When Panchayat was launched, we were first introduced to Abhishek Tripathi (Jitendra Kumar). Hw is the optimistic MBA from the city, now looking to start his career as the panchayat secretary in the fictional village of Phulera. The performance did not wow audiences with grand gestures. But subtle and meaningful interactions, relatable dilemmas they had faced in their own lives, and affable characters.

Panchayat Season 4, however, clouds most of the calm, emotionally rewarding series. It oscillates deep into the world of village politics, effectively signing down the show from a still. It is an emotional journey to something entirely different: a competitive political arena. Manju Devi (Neena Gupta) returns to re-establish her office as pradhan. This time represented by a lauki (bottle gourd), while her greatest rival Kranti Devi (Sunita Rajwar) supports the pressure cooker. What may have started off as a fun, graphic metaphor of rural elections actually felt like a drawn-out, excessive, and often tedious, story line.

Characters Abandoned

As the political race takes over the story, the people we loved the most — Pradhanji (Raghubir Yadav), Sachivji (Jitendra Kumar), Vikas (Chandan Roy), and Prahlad (Faisal Malik). They are pushed to a subplot with little development. Even strong women – Manju Devi, Rinki (Sanvikaa), and Kranti Devi – are ignored and their plots no longer meaningfully progressed from last season.

Rinki’s and Sachivji’s sweet romance, which was the soft link that tied together the episodes. Now feels like an afterthought, their interactions more practical than emotional, missing the integrity of emotion that drew us in.

From Good Honesty and Wit to a Political Race

It appears that Panchayat Season 4 fumbles in shaping the core of the story with new conflict and more intense scenes. The clever and honest moments portrayed to draw the audience into an honest engagement are gone. Examples would be the slipper swap and the thoughtful reply to Rinki’s harassment – where humor is intertwined with seriousness. These have been replaced with power approaches and political circumventions that feel miscast from the whole atmosphere that fans have enjoyed.

There is no denying the showrunner’s – Deepak Kumar Mishra and Chandan Kumar – creative ambition. Their aim is to understand the social and political dimensions of rural India. But the storyline doesn’t always work in that way, and there are moments where the show feels more formulaic than touching.

The Changing “Phulera”

One of the biggest strengths of Panchayat was its authenticity. A true and relatable representation of village life that had not been exaggerated. Unfortunately, in Season 4, that quiet charm has been replaced with a more punchier, politically charged storyline. While it’s good for a long-running show to lead and change, it also means that part of its loyal audience is no longer’ missing the simple emotions in earlier seasons.

That said, the performances of the lead cast and the other actors are still crushworthy. Especially actors like Neena Gupta and Raghubir Yadav. But those talents are not fully explored in a season that has chosen story over characters.

Final verdict: a Mistake not a Loss

Panchayat Season 4 is 2.5 stars. With some positives as a wrong turn for a show that is known as the gold standard in rural stories. It’s a bold move to tackle more serious issues but has lost its humor, nuance, and emotional connection.

For fans following the OTT release news, this season might still be enjoyable for its continuity – but don’t get your hopes up too high. Phulera may still be somewhat colorful – but it’s a bit messier and upsettingly less wholesome.

Let’s hope Season 5 will restore the better balance between political spoofs and depth.