Panchayat Season 4 Review: The Mirzapur-fication is just too much gunpowder in our lauki sabzi

Panchayat Season 4 Review: Story - So, the elections are still just around the corner, and we’re living with the curiosity around who commissioned the firing in Phulera that led to Pradhan Ji (Raghubir Yadav) getting shot. Sachiv Abhishek (Jitendra Kumar) is now completely blended into the world he once hated. Amid all this, Bhushan (Durgesh Kumar) and his wife Kranti (Sunita Rajwar) are doing everything they can (even some dirty tricks) to win the local elections that will snatch power from Manju Devi (Neena Gupta) and give it to them. Caught in the midst is the Vidhayak (Pankaj Jha), who wants revenge — because we all know how the people of Phulera defeated him not once but twice, and that hasn't done his ego any favours. Will Manju Devi win, or is Phulera walking towards a dark end?

Panchayat Season 4 Review:

Before we land on the current state of Phulera, let us rewind to the first time we met a young man, with no hope left, travelling to a village in the heartland of India where progress hadn’t reached far enough to help them keep pace with the rest of the world. There were humans who weren’t as evolved as the said outsider, and this man had to bring order to the madness of this village called Phulera. What we exactly fell in love with was hope — and the abundance of it — that came with the show when we were reading death trackers every single day in the real world during the pandemic. Two seasons went by and that hope stood strong, allowing audiences to completely surrender to the suspension of disbelief that this world came with. But somewhere in Season 3, we saw this world starting to tread a path we’ve already had an overdose of — and that didn’t sit well.

Enter Panchayat Season 4. The election plan is laid out, the cards have been distributed, and the players must now make all their moves — and then some — to win. This means there will be muck thrown, too. Panchayat Season 4 becomes an alien entity to Phulera precisely when it starts taking the seriousness of its situation too seriously. We’ve seen death on this show and how beautifully it was handled — leading to a moment where hope was reignited, and Prahlad (Faisal Malik) became the most endearing character of the series. The latest season lacks that same empathy towards the narrative. Conflicts in this universe should always lead to a sneak peek into a better world.

Phulera is supposed to progress with the audience and either teach goodness or, at the very least, entertain with its simple yet impactful humour, a dash of healthy satire, and something more. Credit where it’s due — the world-building in Panchayat Season 4, led by Pitchers star Jitendra Kumar, is still very strong. Creator Deepak Kumar Mishra, writer Chandan Kumar, and director Deepak, alongside Akshat Vijaywargia, craft a world that is clever when it’s being satirical. The show shines when it tries to give you a capsule-sized view of the madness that an election can unfold in this country — parties using the Enforcement Directorate to carry out raids on the opposition, sometimes even under false claims; leaders exchanging digs, even dirty ones; and some using the unrest as an opportunity for revenge.

ALSO READ: Detective Sherdil: From Diljit Dosanjh to Boman Irani, who plays what in comedy thriller

Even Sachiv has evolved beautifully this time around. A man who entered this village with a strong urge to leave it that very day (if only he could), is now hesitant about walking away. He has appeared for an entrance exam that could finally take him out of Phulera — something he had longed for when he arrived. But now, it feels like leaving might create a void. The screenplay ensures we feel that emotion even if Abhishek never says it out loud. The beauty also lies in how Manju Devi has blossomed into a woman with a voice and real authority — someone who can now tell her husband to take a back seat. She’s definitely a brilliant female character, one who has taken her time to find her footing but now stands strong — and beautifully so.

However, all these narrative merits are lost the moment the show decides to become a decoction brewed with Mirzapur’s DNA and Peepli Live’s commentary. No doubt, both of those shows are winners in their own right, but when that essence is poured into an already well-established world like Panchayat, it somehow dilutes what the show originally stood for. The very vibe that made us subscribe begins to fade, and the core idea that kept us hooked for five long years starts to feel uncertain. You begin to wonder — is this the moment the makers should pull the plug, or perhaps give it one more try in hopes of a return to form? Of course, there’s still hope, and we must hold on to it — because that’s the topmost lesson this show, at its best, has taught us.

Talking about performances — this cast is brimming with stellar actors who can hardly put a foot wrong. Jitendra Kumar is Sachiv now — through and through — and it might be harder for him to return to reality than step into this character again. Raghubir Yadav is a genius, and Neena Gupta is as effortless as it gets. I fall more in love with Sunita Rajwar with every project she takes on. Durgesh Kumar continues to shine, and so do Faisal Malik and Chandan Roy.

Panchayat Season 4 Review: Final Verdict

A season that makes you question whether it’s time for the makers to pull the plug — or keep the faith for a better return to form. Hope is still alive, and we must hold on to it. But the makers must also remind themselves of exactly what made audiences fall in love with Phulera in the first place. Sometimes, sticking to the basics is all it takes.

Panchayat Season 4 is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Stay tuned to OTTplay for more on this and everything else from the world of streaming and film.