From Selling Cotton For ₹100 To Cannes Red Carpet: Panchayat’s Binod Aka Ashok Pathak Has Come A Long Way

Today, Ashok Pathak is known across the country as Binod—the hilariously naïve sidekick from the hit series 'Panchayat'. But the path to this spotlight was far from easy.

Born in Bihar, Ashok Pathak’s early life was marked by poverty.

Source : Prime Video

Panchayat Season 4: In the world of entertainment, success often demands more than just talent—it asks for resilience, relentless hustle, and a little luck. Actor Ashok Pathak’s story is proof of just that. Today, he’s known across the country as Binod—the hilariously naïve sidekick from the hit series 'Panchayat'. His innocent expressions and unintentional comic timing have become meme material, endearing him to audiences and earning him a ticket to the prestigious Cannes Film Festival for his film 'Sister Midnight'. But the path to this spotlight was far from easy.

Ashok Pathak aka Binod's struggle

Born in Bihar, Ashok’s early life was marked by poverty. To support his family, he worked alongside his uncle selling bundles of cotton—earning just ₹100 a day. “I’ve seen struggle up close,” Ashok has said in past interviews, a truth that now gives weight to his performances. After completing his schooling, the family moved to Haryana, where he enrolled in college.

It was here that Ashok stumbled into theatre—initially through college cultural festivals. What began as an extracurricular interest soon turned into a passion. One day, after being paid ₹40,000 for a performance, he realised there was a future in performance art. That cheque became his ticket to Mumbai.

“My father (Ram Naresh Pathak) was a daily wager, who lived in a village. I was poor in studies. On sifarish, I got admission in CRM Jat College for graduation but that changed my life. In the youth festival, I won the best actor award and we went on to win at the national level as well. I got awarded by (actor) Ashutosh Rana sir. My photo was everywhere (in the newspapers) which was a big deal and phir pariwar ne kaha... ‘Kar bhai jo bhi karna hai’,” he told Hindustan Times in an interview.

Chasing the dream in Mumbai

Once in the city of dreams, Ashok began grinding it out through auditions, landing minor roles here and there. It was a slow climb, but every role honed his craft and brought him closer to a breakthrough. That finally came with 'Panchayat', the sleeper hit web series set in the fictional village of Phulera.

Ashok’s character Binod doesn’t speak much and often appears clueless—but that’s exactly what made him a fan favourite. “Binod doesn’t talk too much or understand too much,” Ashok once joked, reflecting on how the character managed to stand out even among a powerful ensemble cast including Jitendra Kumar, Raghubir Yadav, Neena Gupta, Faisal Malik, and Chandan Roy.

His pairing with Bhushan (played by Durgesh Kumar) became a comedy highlight of the show, with their antics quickly going viral.

In an interview with Hindustan Times, Ashok said that ‘Panchayat’ and Binod’s character changed his life. “I am in the industry since 2011 and have been part of several good projects, including Bittoo Boss (2012), 102 Not Out (2018) and Sacred Games but Binod ne zindagi badal di...sab pehchanne lage. Bahut mohabaat mil rahi hai aur yahi sabse badi daulat hai,” he told Hindustan Times. 

From Phulera to the French Riviera

Ashok's film ‘Sister Midnight’ was screened under Directors Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival 2024. Also starring Radhika Apte, the film received a 10-minute standing ovation.  For an actor who once sold cotton to survive, walking the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival felt like the stuff of dreams.

Now, with Panchayat Season 4 on the horizon, fans are eager to reunite with their beloved Binod, along with Secretary Ji, Pradhan Ji, and the rest of the quirky Phulera gang. The show, penned by Chandan Kumar and produced by The Viral Fever (TVF), has won hearts for its tender portrayal of rural India’s everyday struggles—blending humour and emotion in a way that feels real, rooted, and deeply human.