Panchayat Season 2
Introduction
And the weekend biggie is here, only a day earlier. Due to a technical glitch by Amazon Prime, The second season of Panchayat was accidently made available only to be taken down after a few minutes. But that meant that the series was leaked a day before its scheduled release. And so Amazon Prime did the right thing by launching the second season of Panchayat a day early. This did help a reviewer like me who was staring at an eventful and crowded weekend.
It was in 2020 during the first lockdown when there was this series which was out titled Panchayat. And when I dug in deeper, I got to know that it was helmed by TVF which is a pioneer for relatable content. But Panchayat seemed to be their most “unrelatable” content from the looks of it. But once I finished the series, I was pleasantly surprised and how beautiful the writing was. Over the course of time, the series not only gained popularity but also a cult status. What that transpired into was hoards of people wanting a second season. And the second season of Panchayat is here and I managed to finish it last night. As always with all second seasons, I was skeptical although quietly trusting the genius of TVF. So then is the second season of Panchayat worth your time, stay tuned.
Story & Screenplay
The second season of Panchayat picks up from the same point where season 1 had ended as it brings about new chapters in the life of the protagonist who continues his life in a remote village. The story here is again fresh and it cleverly deals with various problems at the grassroot level and the politics around it. The screenplay like in Season 1 begins on a slow note. And this got me thinking that we as viewers may have been so privy to city life that it almost would take some amount of time to settle into a story set in a village(eerily similar to the protagonist).
By the time the second episode kicks in, you are absorbed in the drama. The writing is sharp yet consistent with the first season. It did not feel drastically different although a few new characters add a lovely dimension to it. Some of the issues at the grassroot level are smartly tackled her in the most humourous manner. You will often find yourself smiling and laughing hysterically at the histrionics which unfold. But this drama also has a lot of emotional depth. I was just not prepared for the drama at the end which took an unexpected emotional turn and it really was enough to make a grown man like me cry(rather weep). The kind of void which was created was so well done that it instantly had this lingering feeling long after the series had ended. The drama in between was also sharp and purposeful summing up the screenplay perfectly. This truly was top notch writing treading on a refreshing approach.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are witty which will put a smile on your face yet poignant as well. Some of the metaphors which are used even as episode names are brilliantly thought out. The music is brilliant and it flows perfectly with the drama. The BGM is perfect and blends so well with the drama. The cinematography and production design are top notch like in every other TVF productions. Director Deepak Kumar Mishra displays a tremendous flair here with his storytelling skills. This could so easily have been a cash cow almost going in reputation. But he did not take the success of season one for granted and put together an equally brilliant show here. His direction is refreshing and absolutely top notch.
Performances
The performances are top notch here. Puja Jha as Sapna is brilliant and thought provoking in her performance in episode one. Satish Ray as Siddharth is pretty good and does quite a nice job. Shiv Swaroop as Rahul is sincere. Aanchal Tiwari as Raveena has her moments to shine in an impressive outing. Sunita Rajwar as Kranti is hilarious and absolutely a treat to watch. Pankaj Jha as The local MLA was an interesting conflict which was introduced in the plot and he puts his best foot forward. Durgesh Kumar as Bhushan is well measured in his performance and a perfect nemesis to the protagonist. Sanvikka as Rinki has a charming presence here and she does a swell job. Faizal Malik as Prahlad is such a beautiful performer, probably my favourite character this time around. He has a lovely character arc and delivers such a heartfelt performance especially at the end that it will definitely tug the strings of your heart. Chandan Roy as Vikas who was the actor whom I had discovered in season one is again top notch here. Wish everyone had a friend like him, his performance is all heart! Neena Gupta is an incredible performer and here as Manju Devi she is fiery with an impeccable presence. Absolutely brilliant. Raghubir Yadav as Brij Bhushan(Pradhanji) is such an affable character which is so caring and the legend that Raghubir Sir is, he adds smaller nuances to his character to make it even more likable. Such a prolific performance this! And Jitendra Kumar aka our Jeetu Bhaiyya as Abhishek is a tremendous performer himself and such a natural onscreen. His conflicts, pain and even self respect are so well expressed by him in yet another memorable performance! All the artists create magic onscreen here!
Conclusion
The Second Season of Panchayat is sincere, heartfelt and highly emotional! A worthy successor to season 1. Available on Amazon Prime and Highly Recommended!