The team who made Panchayat (Seasons 1–3) are going all guns blazing, asking people if they are waiting for Panchayat 4. They needn't have done that for I am sure everyone—and everyone who has seen the earlier three seasons—cannot but wait for Season 4 to start!

At the end of Season 3, the team has left us hanging. What will happen in the forthcoming Panchayat elections? Will Pradhan ji make it? Will Banrakas and his wife, the ambitious Kranti, cross the line and outwit Pradhan Pati and Pradhan ji? Will the archetypal MLA be punished? And most importantly, what will happen to the budding romance between Sachiv ji and Rinky? Just can’t wait! Instead of teasing, can they declare the launch date, please?

Panchayat premiered in 2020 and within the next four years they ran three seasons, each of them loaded with 8 episodes. Normally, at this stage, it becomes a challenge to expand on the storyline further since by then all the characters and the sub˙ plots have been played out and unless they can close it at a critical point, the following seasons become predictable. Boring. 

This is where the writer, Chandan Kumar, and director, Deepak Mishra, come forward with their brilliance. They had it all planned and series after series they involved us—almost making us live in the village of Phulera, almost sharing the room with Sachiv ji in the Panchayat Office—till we become the residents of Phulera, sharing our lives with the residents of the village. 

I have personally, had peripheral experience with the typical Indian villages and their inhabitants. I know how exciting it was when someone was going to “town”—in this case the nearby market. The locations have been in real time, names changed and it was every inch a village and village life. The situations and the drama all have a rural twist, the politics run parallel to national politics—and full marks to the writer for extracting the branded rustic sense of humour.  Down to Pradhan ji’s ringtone. 

The director deserves a pat on the back for handling his characters. They were so natural that even Raghivir Yadav with a wig and Neena Gupta seemed like a couple from birth. Even if we accept that Yadav is from a village, but Gupta, whom we are used to playing elitist, urban roles for the past forty years, just blended into the script and their characters. Chandan Roy as Vikas is the local smart alec all of us know and for the larger part of the story, he does not act. Playing the role comes so naturally to him. Faisal Malik as Prahaladcha, the good meaning uncle whose life is otherwise filled with grief, just takes it away. He seemed to be the perfect choice, his appearance included.

The central character Sachiv ji, played by Jitendra Kumar, is the discovery. He will be remembered for just this opera even if he decides to give up acting hereafter (I hope not, though). His mannerisms, restrained expressions, being indifferent, built-up sadness, venting anger—he creates a larger than life character out of Sachiv ji. 

I understand that Sanvikaa keeps receiving marriage proposals on social media. I don’t blame the guys who propose to her. The Jabalpur girl has everything of being the dream girl. She is the living Rinky. Refreshing, romantic, and if I may add, revolutionary. 

When we were young, we heard of Raj Kapoor–Nargis, Uttam–Suchitra, and many such filmy pairs. I wouldn’t be surprised if Jitendra–Sanvikaa is the future of such pairs.

One final observation: The “romance” had been built up series by series, episode by episode, taking its own time, making it so natural, so soft—and while the audience “wants” the pairing to happen, it has been a game of patience. 

What will happen now?

When will the 4th Season start, dammit!