Pinkvilla Picks: 5 reasons to binge watch the comedy drama Panchayat with family amid lockdown

The Coronavirus pandemic has created an outrage all over the world. With the increase in the number of COVID 19 cases in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended the lockdown till May 17th.  And given the rapidly rising positive cases, the lockdown doesn’t seem to end anytime soon and is being considered as the need of the hour. While in some cities, which come under the green zone and orange zone, specific regulations and laws have been eased amid the lockdown but as per reports, malls and cinema halls will be shut for a long period. 

This is a tough time for all the cinema goers but thanks to the OTT platforms, we have got a way to ease our time by bingeing on to some interesting series and movies. While we do have to depend on the OTT platforms, choosing what to watch is also quite tedious. However, our Pinkvilla picks is here for your rescue but today we shall not suggest a movie but a Hindi series that you can binge-watch with your family. And today's series of the day is Amazon Prime Video's comedy-drama Panchayat. 

The series featuring Jitendra Kumar, Raghubir Yadav and Neena Gupta captures the journey of an engineering graduate Abhishek Tripathi (portrayed by Jitendra), who for lack of a better job option joins as secretary of a panchayat office in the remote village of Phulera, Uttar Pradesh, India. Stuck between crazy villagers and a difficult village lifestyle Abhishek starts his job with the sole motivation of getting out of there as soon as possible and he even starts preparing for the Common Admission Test while working. 

 

While Panchayat has been received great reviews and has been loved by many, here are 5 reasons why you should drop everything you are doing right now and binge-watch this comedy-drama with your family.

1. Jitendra Kumar

This Panchayat actor has been lurking around in the internet for quite sometime as a regular collaborator of TVF. He rose to fame with his role as Jeetu Bhaiyya from Kota Factory. He got his big breakthrough Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan in which he played the lead opposite Ayushmann Khurrana. This talented actor is the first reason why one should start binging Panchayat. He has played Abhishekh Tripathi with such ease and dedication that he keeps us glued to the screen with his honest portrayal of a young man fresh out of graduation, working as a Panchayat secretary in a village called Phulera and struggling through the lifestyle changes and frustrations connected to his job.

2. Other Cast

This Amazon Prime original has a lot of amazing talents filled in it. The talented Neena Gupta who plays Manju Devi, Raghubir Yadav who with much energy and honesty portrays Brij Bhushan Dubey, husband to Manju Devi and the rest of the cast such as Faisal Malik as Prahlad, Chandan Roy as Vikas and Biswapati Sarkar as Prateek. This fun and rustic drama is brought alive by these actors and through their humble and realistic portrayal of their roles makes Panchayat much more delightful and binge-worthy. At the end of the series, all these characters stay within our hearts and we keep craving to see them more.

3. Story 

Panchayat, the name itself is a direct reference to the core of the story. The series is about a young graduate who had to take up the job as a Panchayat Secretary in a rural village. The drama and problems which later arise in the village forms the rest of the story. With Swades references to social mockery, everything is galore in this rustic comedy-drama. Characters with heart and fresh visuals that take you to Phulera while you sit at home bored during this lockdown season. Panchayat alone for its writing and making would keep you invested in it.

4. Realism 

As perceived, it portrays rural India with all its heart and honesty. The series shows us what life looks like in the rustic parts of the country. Topics like politics to woman empowerment, human nature to family issues, everything is dealt in a very subtle manner with humor sprinkled all over it. Not only does the series take a direct reference to the ongoing current affairs but it also gets symbolic of its portrayal. Everything in the series is relatable and slowly the realistic portrayal helps us understand them. The realism involved in its making makes Panchayat an experience rather than just an internet series. 

5. Neena Gupta and Jitendra Kumar

We know this duo from the Blockbuster Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan released earlier this year. This mother-son duo from the movie stole our hearts with their chemistry and brilliant performances in the movie. They are back again with Neena Gupta portraying Manju Devi, the official Pradhan of Phulera and Jitendra Kumar as the lead Abhishekh Tripathi, the panchayat secretary. This dynamic duo has made each scene they share on the screen more alive and fun. Their heartwarming chemistry work wonders each time they are onscreen. This Pradhan-secretary camaraderie even though shown in small amounts steal our attention and hearts making Panchayat a must-watch.