Panchayat

Abhishek Tripathi is a young engineering graduate who lands a government post far from the city, taking a job as the secretary of a village panchayat because better offers haven’t come through. He expects the posting to be a temporary setback, so he spends his spare time studying for entrance exams and counting down the days until he can leave. Instead he gets drawn into the rhythms of rural life, learning to manage petty disputes, bureaucratic headaches, and eccentric locals. The show follows his slow adjustment, the friendships and frustrations that develop, and how small moments of empathy and humor reshape his view of work and community, without revealing any major plot twists.

Released in 2020, Panchayat was created by Chandan Kumar, Deepak Kumar Mishra, and Arunabh Kumar. The ensemble cast includes Jitendra Kumar as Abhishek, Raghubir Yadav, Neena Gupta, Chandan Roy, and Faisal Malik, whose performances anchor the everyday texture of the series.

Critics and audiences responded warmly, reflected in an average rating around 8.18 out of 10 from users. Reviewers highlighted the show’s modest pacing, dry humor, and attention to administrative detail, with recurring themes of urban-rural contrast, dignity in ordinary work, and the slow building of trust between strangers.

The series helped bring more attention to quiet, slice-of-life storytelling on Indian streaming platforms, and its characters and situations have become familiar reference points in conversations about rural representation. Actors, particularly Jitendra Kumar and Neena Gupta, gained wider recognition, and viewers often cite specific scenes for their authenticity and gentle comedy.

Panchayat also received recognition on the Indian OTT awards circuit, earning nominations and acknowledgments for acting, writing, and its overall portrayal of village life. That industry attention matched the public praise, confirming the show’s place as a notable Hindi comedy-drama of its release period.