By the end of the new season of Panchayat on Prime Video, we see Brij Bhushan Dubey, better known as Pradhan ji, get visibly frustrated. Played brilliantly by Raghubir Yadav, he drops a line that feels more real than dramatic: “Politics isn’t a game of dolls where everything turns out nice.” And honestly, the same could be said about this season itself.
Season 4, which dropped on June 24, dives deeper into the village’s dirty politics, and that sweet charm the show started with feels like it’s slowly fading. Fans weren’t too thrilled with the tonal shift in Season 3, and this season continues in the same direction. The fun, light-hearted moments are fewer now, aside from the odd scene, like the one with the elderly (yet sharp) dadi. Still, Panchayat doesn’t completely lose its old flavor.
There’s a funny bit where Sachiv ji (Abhishek, played by Jitendra Kumar) gets a simple “Hi” text from Pradhan ji in their boys’ WhatsApp group. It’s their secret code to hang out, drink, vent, or just chill. This time, even Pradhan ji’s father-in-law (played by the amazing Ram Gopal Bajaj) joins them. And when Pradhan casually blurts out his usual “Aye sasur!”—right in front of his real sasur—it’s genuinely laugh-out-loud stuff.
One of the most heartfelt performances comes from Faisal Malik, who plays Prahlad. His occasional chuckles cut through the quiet pain of losing his son in the second season. It’s subtle, but powerful. Political games heat up again. Sometimes Manju Devi’s party (symbolized by the lauki) gets ahead; other times, the pressure cooker party, led by Kranti Devi and Bhushan, steals the show. The humble bottle gourd, now almost the unofficial mascot of the show, keeps taking a beating in this tug of war.
There’s also a scene where Kranti Devi crosses the line with a harsh and false allegation against Khushboo, Vikas’s pregnant wife. Naturally, it causes an emotional storm and a scramble to do damage control in their tight-knit village. As the shady MLA (vidhayak ji) puts it: “Politics, politics, politics.” No one’s pretending anymore. A callback to the Swachh Bharat campaign shows up again used cleverly as an election stunt. And toilet jokes? Yep, they’re still around.
There’s a funny Easter egg too: a vendor shouting “Aloo le lo!”—a clear nod to Welcome, where Nana Patekar sold potatoes in a tux. Except here, Bhushan has bought all the aloo from the cart, leaving Pradhan ji and friends high and dry. But tables turn when Manju Devi comes up with a clever move. She asks the chai stall helper to serve free samosas, courtesy of her campaign. It’s a smart way to win hearts (and stomachs). There’s also a cheeky reference to Lalu Yadav and his famous samosa-aaloo joke.
This season gives more screen time to side characters like Binod and Madhav, played by Ashok Pathak and Buloo Kumar. They’re not just comic relief anymore, they actually get to shine. Manju Devi even tries to win Binod over with good food and seviyan. Rinky (Sanvikaa) continues to show that while she may not be super ambitious, her pride runs deep. One moment stands out where cold kachoris aren’t the issue, but bruised egos are. The laddoo battle is back too. It’s not just about the sweets, it’s about confidence. One party orders 50 kilos made with desi ghee, the other settles for 25 kilos with vanaspati. You can guess who’s feeling more sure of a win.
And finally,after three seasons of “Will they, won’t they?”—love starts to bloom between Abhishek and Rinky. But there’s a twist. Abhishek’s CAT exam results are looming, and he still dreams of leaving Phulera. Rinky asks what he’d do if her mother loses the election. His reply: “Then I’ll quit and leave. What’s the point otherwise?”—which understandably upsets her.
If you’ve been with Panchayat from the start, you’ll probably stick around till the end of this season. It clearly sets up a Season 5. But if you’re just tuning in because it’s trending, your takeaway might be different. In the very first episode, Abhishek’s friend tells him: “Don’t stress. It’ll all work out.” Maybe that’s also the message from the makers, hang in there, more is coming.
