Panchayat season 4 review: Phulera loses its innocence, originality as murky politics, repetition of formula take over

Panchayat season 4 review: Phulera loses its innocence, originality as murky politics, repetition of formula take over

Panchayat season 4 reviewCast: Jitendra Kumar, Raghubir Yadav, Neena Gupta, Faisal Malik, Chandan Roy, Sanvikaa, Durgesh Kumar, Sunita Rajwar, Ashok Pathak, and Pankaj JhaDirector: Deepak Kumar MishraRating: ★★.5

For years, Panchayat served as a reminder of the power of Indian streaming. In a wave of crime dramas and gun battles, this show - about the life of a Panchayat secretary - had won hearts and impressed critics. But like they say, nothing lasts forever. And sadly, Panchayat's goodwill seems to be ending before the show itself calls it a day. The latest season, focused on Phulera's Panchayat elections, completely disregards what had made the show great - simplicity and relatability. Panchayat season 4 sees formula creeping in finally, and also an overload of the murkiness of politics over the simplicity of human emotions.

Panchayat season 4 review: The old favourite is back, but isn't up to the mark this time. The premise

Panchayat season 4 opens a few weeks after the end of season 3. The elections are upon us, and Manju Devi (Neena Gupta) and Pradhan ji (Raghuvir Yadav) face their toughest challenge in the form of Kranti Devi and Bhushan (Sunita Rajwar and Durgesh Kumar). Abhishek (Jitendra) has long given up the hope of being non-partisan and is actively campaigning for Manju's party. But despite Pradhan's 'dabdaba' in Phulera, winning may not be as easy as it has been so far.

The spectre of elections looms large on Panchayat season 4 and is easily its undoing as well. The first two seasons were splendid, largely because of the anthology-like quality of storytelling, where each episode was a self-contained story creating an overarching narrative. Season 3 digressed a little but still managed to hold its own, largely due to crisp writing and some memorable sequences.

But season 4 gets lost in the political machinations and one-upmanship of the elections. It was important for the makers to keep the focus on the elections. But one feels that it sucks the joy and innocence out of Panchayat, which had been its USP all along. The new season also feels more manufactured than before, with the sameness of formula appearing to finally show its face here. That robs the narrative of the freshness that Panchayat had managed to retain for three seasons.

The biggest disservice the show does is to Pradhan ji himself. Raghuvir Yadav's character has been shown as a clever politician, but a good man who is the right choice for Phulera. That is why Abhishek is comfortable letting go of his impartiality to side with him over the years. However, this season turns him into just a politician who tries to win votes and get back into power through populist measures. If the intent was to show how flawed he is, it did not translate. In fact, if anything, it makes him come across as inefficient. There are a few stray moments in the show that highlight this, from unclean drains to unhappy voters. But the show misses the chance to really drive home the point. All it does is generate sympathy for the other side.

Panchayat had a chance to act non-partisan here, too. If only it had presented Bhushan with an ounce of humanity. But it messes up there too, reducing Bhushan and Kranti to stereotypical bad guys, right down to a sinister 90s' background theme for them.

But then, the show does redeem itself with the arc it gives to Vinod (Ashok Pathak). It is praiseworthy how the show manages to bring a supporting character's arc to the forefront. If it was Prahlad in season 2, it's Vinod here. Pathak's heartfelt performance also deserves a mention.

In the ensemble, the heavy lifting has yet again been done by the support cast, with Ashok Pathak, Durgesh Kumar, Chandan Roy, Sunita Rajwar, and Raghuvir Yadav shining the brightest. Despite how his character has been handled, Raghuvir Yadav manages to give one of the most memorable scenes of the show in the final episode. Neena Gupta and Jitendra Kumar are capable as always, but somehow get subdued with everything happening around them. It's not their fault that their characters come across as passive somehow.

Panchayat season 4 is not bad. It is just a letdown by the show's lofty standards. On its own, Phulera still breathes, and there are stories and characters (the electrician and Manju's father being worthy additions) that stand out. Some old returnees also steal the spotlights. But the chuckles are fewer, the narrative a little jaded, and the sheen somewhat less bright than it had been.