Panchayat Season 4 Review: Phulera Still Feels Like Home, But The Magic That Made It Special Is Missing
Panchayat Season 4 review: Despite its grounded storytelling and stellar performances, Panchayat Season 4 feels like a well-made dish that’s missing a pinch of salt. Rating: ***
Panchayat Season 4 review: After a long wait and soaring expectations, Panchayat Season 4 is finally here, taking us back to the sleepy-yet-busy village of Phulera. But this time, things aren't quite so quiet. As the show dives headfirst into the chaos of panchayat elections, political tempers flare, both sides elevate their game, vying for supremacy in a contest that perfectly encapsulates the essence of grassroots democracy in India.
Small-town politics take centre stage in Panchayat Season 4
The season picks up with two rival factions battling it out for the upcoming elections—Bhushan (Durgesh Kumar) and Kranti Devi (Sunita Rajwar) on one side and Pradhan Ji (Raghubir Yadav) and Manju Devi’s (Neena Gupta) team on the other. As both camps go all-in with their campaigns, Phulera becomes a microcosm of Indian democracy, portraying the grassroots political machinery in all its chaotic glory. From campaigning gimmicks to polling day drama and victory processions, the season captures the pulse of small-town politics with unfiltered honesty and humour. Anyone who has experienced small-town ward or municipal elections up close will undoubtedly feel a strong sense of déjà vu, so accurately does the show portray these events.
Panchayat 4 struggles to match the brilliance of earlier seasons
Yet, despite its grounded storytelling and stellar performances, Panchayat Season 4 feels like a well-made dish that’s missing a pinch of salt.
On its own, Panchayat Season 4 is a well-made, decent watch. However, it carries the weighty legacy of its predecessors, particularly the first two seasons, which set an exceptionally high benchmark for rural dramedy. When measured against that towering standard, even a competent season can appear somewhat mediocre, and unfortunately, this is precisely what has happened with Season 4.
Emotional depth and humour fall short in Panchayat Season 4
The familiar setting of Phulera and its cherished inhabitants remain. Yet, the signature lol moments and meme-worthy dialogues that made Panchayat 1 an instant classic are conspicuously missing. While emotional scenes are present, they don't resonate with the profound depth and impact that Season 2 masterfully achieved. There's nothing inherently wrong with the season, but it simply lacks the punch and indelible quality of previous installments. The writing, though sharp, doesn't quite hit the heights of memorability, failing to consistently evoke the same bursts of laughter or deep emotional connection as before.
What Panchayat Season 4 gets right
The undeniable show-stealer, however, continues to be the vibrant camaraderie and unwavering friendship among the central quartet: Pradhan Ji (Raghubir), Sachiv Ji (Jitendra Kumar), Prahlad (Faisal Malik), and Vikas (Chandan Roy). Their drink sessions, a staple of the series, still manage to bring a genuine smile to your face, serving as heartwarming anchors in the midst of political maneuvering.
A few scenes particularly stand out. The moment Kranti Devi unjustly accuses Vikas's wife of taking favors from Prahlad Cha in exchange for money is powerful, largely due to Prahlad's truly exceptional expression in response. Later, at the end of the same episode, the collective drinking session of Prahlad, Pradhan Ji, Sachiv Ji, and Vikas strikes a deep chord, leaving a warm, fuzzy smile on your face. In the final episode, Vinod's (Ashok Pathak) raw cry of happiness (context withheld to avoid spoilers) beautifully conveys his stunned emotion and joy. While these and a few other scenes are indeed good and memorable, their scarcity is a problem; they don't leave the lasting, pervasive impact that characterised earlier seasons.
If there’s one arena where the series doesn’t falter, it’s the performances. Every actor—from the leads to supporting cast—delivers with sincerity.
What is missing in Panchayat 4
Visually and tonally, Panchayat 4 sticks to its roots. The dusty lanes, the simplicity of rural life, the quirks of familiar faces—it’s all still there. But perhaps that’s the issue: we’ve seen it all before. The novelty of Phulera has worn off, and now, the show needs to offer more than just comfort food. The audience has matured with the show, and we expect the storytelling to evolve with us.
The final few minutes hint at major shifts for Season 5, and if the showrunners manage to bring back the emotional depth and crisp humour of earlier seasons, there’s still hope for Panchayat to return to its peak form.
Also read: Durgesh Kumar Aka Banrakas's Long Road To Panchayat—Depression, Desperation And A 2.5 Hour Shoot
Final verdict
In its fourth outing, Panchayat remains endearing and relevant, capturing the texture of Indian rural life and politics with an eye for detail. But as viewers, we now crave more than familiarity—we want to be moved, surprised, and left thinking. Season 4 keeps the heart beating, but the soul needs a bit more fire.
Rating: 3 star
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