Panchayat 2
Cast: Jitendra Kumar, Raghubir Yadav, Neena Gupta, Faisal Malik, Saanvika, Chandan Roy
Director: Deepak Kumar Mishra
Rating: 4/5
Due to the solid footprint of the first season, I was anyway premeditated to like Panchayat 2. I was still surprised to see the sensibilities packed in the second season. And then there was this climax, which is probably the best for any Hindi web series in the last 365 days.
Abhishek Tripathi (Jitendra) is still trapped in Phakouli as Panchayat Secretary, but he has definitely evolved as a human being. He is more expressive, concerned and conflicted. The still afternoons and stars-filled evenings have instilled a sense of responsibility in him. He is also subconsciously looking for love and companionship. The kind which happens spontaneously even if you don't it want to!
His inner circle is mostly about Pradhan Ji (Raghubir), Prahlad (Faisal) and Vikas (Chandan), and together they want to add some dimensions to their otherwise mundane lives.
The usual village rivalry, occasional roadblocks and obvious obloquy are also there. What's Panchayat without these anyway!
There's a shift from the previous season though.
It's more of an inward journey for the characters now. We get to understand them better, and in a way, are forced to accept them as they are. Comedy is more situational now, and the writers tend to deviate from giving life lessons in every scene. In short, the writing is absolutely on point.
Other characters, especially Prahlad and Vikas, have been given a chance to expand their horizon without taking the centre stage. Jitendra and Raghubir know the pitch and are not defensive anymore. They keep pushing themselves into complex situations and make their presence count in almost every sequence they appear in.
On second thought, it's difficult to pinpoint one thing as the most liked in Panchayat 2. I guess it’s the set-up, or maybe the simplicity of the set-up, but it leaves you with a sense of melancholy.
READ | Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 movie review
Deepak Mishra gives us a view of the surroundings and if you have ever lived in a village, you’ll immediately customise the milieu in your head.
.
Panchayat season 2 has much more sentiments packed than the previous season. Not divulging any details about the climax. But I must say, it can leave you stunned and silent for hours. The sensible portrayal of local media was just a bonus for me.
There's no way you cannot watch Panchayat 2. It's a winner!
