‘Panchayat’ Season 4 Review: Satire is Running on Low Fuel in Jitendra Kumar and Neena Gupta’s TVF Series (LatestLY Exclusive)

Panchayat Season 4 Review: The Viral Fever (TVF) was once known for its slice-of-life, smartly relatable web series with a heartwarming sense of humour that didn’t undercut the drama. That’s why fans still swear by shows like Permanent Roommates, TVF Pitchers, Kota Factory, and so on - titles that continue to rank high on IMDb. However, I couldn’t help but notice that lately, even their most established shows have been offering diminishing returns, never quite managing to replenish their creative energy. There’s a sense of stagnation afflicting these shows, and unfortunately, that has also crept into TVF’s most popular recent series - Panchayat. Panchayat Review: Jitendra Kumar, Raghubir Yadav, Neena Gupta Spell Magic With Their Performances in the TVF Show With a Refreshing Take on Rural Life.

Panchayat, which debuted on Prime Video in 2020, was a runaway hit thanks to its rural-based satire, whose tone and grounded satire send me on a nostalgic trip down memory lane to DD's legendary show, Nukkad. The show struck a chord with viewers. Its writer Chandan Kumar, who also played the character Vikas, became a breakout star, while performances by Raghubir Yadav, Neena Gupta, Jitendra Kumar, and Faisal Malik were widely praised. Characters and scenes became viral memes, and the show continues to have a fiercely opinionated fan base ready to defend it against any criticism.

Yet it’s hard not to notice that Panchayat has dipped in quality over its subsequent seasons. Nukkad came to mind earlier because it faced a similar issue - sentimental drama gradually overshadowing its satirical edge. And Panchayat seems to be going down the same road. While Season 4 presents events with potential for humour and drama - most notably the gram panchayat elections - it rarely capitalises on them, resulting in only occasional laughs and a lot of waiting for payoffs that never truly arrive.

'Panchayat' Season 4 Review - The Plot

So, what is Panchayat Season 4 about? (Some SPOILERS ahead.) Directed by Deepak Kumar Mishra, the new season revolves around the gram panchayat election in Phulera, centring on the rivalry between current panchayat head Manju Devi (Neena Gupta) and her opponent Kranti Devi (Sunita Rajwar). The real battle, however, is being fought by their respective husbands - Brij Bhushan Dubey aka Pradhanji (Raghubir Yadav) and Banrakshas (Durgesh Kumar) - who are using every trick in the book, from stealing members to offering freebies, in an attempt to win.

Watch the Trailer of 'Panchayat' Season 4:

There’s also the lingering mystery of who shot Pradhanji in the previous season’s finale, with both the accused Banrakshas and Vidhayakji Chandrakishore (Pankaj Jha) claiming innocence. Meanwhile, Abhishek, waiting for the results of his MBA entrance exam, struggles to maintain neutrality in the elections but ends up fully siding with Pradhanji. His romance with Manju Devi’s daughter, Rinki (Sanvikaa), continues to blossom in fits and starts.

'Panchayat' Season 4 Review - Stagnant Character Development

Like Abhishek, we’re expected to root for Pradhanji and Manju Devi to win the election - mainly because we’ve spent the past three seasons with them. Season 1 introduced us to the manipulative tactics Pradhanji used to rule the panchayat in his wife’s name, and while Abhishek eventually became part of the gang, the show initially did well to portray Pradhanji, Prahlad, Manju Devi, and Vikas as flawed leaders. Their appeal lay in how they supported one another, but their imperfections made them compelling.

But have these characters grown over four seasons? Not much. The only one to experience meaningful development is Prahlad, whose son was martyred in Season 2. Since then, he’s become more emotional as a character. In what is arguably Season 4’s best episode, Prahlad is offered a ticket to contest the upcoming MLA elections - not because of his political skills, but because of his son’s sacrifice. It's as if the show itself is acknowledging that only Prahlad had seen some actual development. Panchayat Season 2 Review: Jitendra Kumar, Neena Gupta and Raghubir Yadav’s TVF Series Maintains Its Amusing and Crackling Form Nearly Throughout.

'Panchayat' Season 4 Review - Needed Cleverer Satire Than Melodrama

Season 4 could have been much stronger had it taken a sharper look at how Pradhanji’s favouritism might finally backfire. This is even hinted at in one episode, where his father-in-law points out how neglected much of the village is, leaving Abhishek floundering for a response. That’s the kind of satirical bite the show needs more of - but unfortunately, it only delivers in brief flashes. Like the scene where rival parties scramble to clean a filthy school toilet while the headmaster lies elsewhere in ‘high spirits’. Or when Banrakshas literally tries to cook Pradhanji’s party symbol - only for it to backfire spectacularly. I was also glad to see Manju Devi get more involved in the electoral politics being more of a driving force for herself.

Instead, the show often leans into melodrama that does little to serve the story. When Savitri Devi insults Vikas’ wife Khushboo (Tripti Sahu), insinuating she’s having an affair, the episode slips into sad songs and emotional excess that feels like a time-filler rather than meaningful storytelling.

Abhishek and Rinki’s love story - still the cutest thread in the series - finally gains some momentum, but its slow-burn chastity starts to feel like it is competing with the main couple romances of a Hindi TV soap in its pace.

'Panchayat' Season 4 Review - Plot Conflicts With Half-Baked Payoffs

More frustrating than the sentimental drama is the half-baked plotting. Conflicts are introduced only to be abandoned - like Abhishek’s fear of a potential FIR affecting his future, which is mentioned in Episode 1 and never again. The season teases several interesting subplots - a cleanliness campaign, a dispute over a transformer, a fight over stale kachoris - but don’t expect satisfying resolutions. You'll likely be disappointed.

Aside from Manju Devi cleverly turning Banrakshas’ freebies to her advantage and a twist at Saansad Ji’s (Swanand Kirkire) house, most plotlines end with tame, forgettable conclusions.

An enforcement raid at the protagonists' house was a minefield for scathing humour, and yet while there are attempts at some feeble humour, the whole drama about trying to hide some lakhs felt more concocted than natural. Even how the track ends also felt very conveniently staged.

In fact, there’s very little ingenuity coming from the protagonists this season. The antagonists seem to have all the fun - whether it’s Banrakshas (Durgesh Kumar is pitch-perfect in the role) or Vinod (Ashok Pathak gets ample screen time to shine). I was a bit disappointed that the brilliant Pankaj Jha didn’t have much to do this time around, but he was fantastic whenever he did appear.

By the time the season finale arrives, the resolution feels far from earth-shattering. It’s an ending you could have predicted much earlier, stretched across eight episodes padded with filler. Panchayat Season 3 Review: Jitendra Kumar and Neena Gupta's TVF Series Loses Its Witty Flair in Struggle to Balance Satire and Sentiment.

The main cast remains consistently strong, but the writing no longer gives them enough to work with. If Panchayat wants to stay relevant, it needs to give these characters better material - especially now, with Season 5 teasing a potential shake-up.

'Panchayat' Season 4 Review - Final Thoughts

Panchayat Season 4 is far from the inspired, funny, and punchy storytelling that once made the show feel so special. It coasts on the goodwill of its beloved characters, while delivering half-hearted satire, overly sentimental detours, and plotlines that don’t quite land. The performances remain solid, but the spark is missing. Here’s hoping that Season 5 brings back the grounded, clever, and charming storytelling that made Panchayat such a hit in the first place. All four seasons of Panchayat are now streaming on Prime Video.

(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of LatestLY.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 24, 2025 12:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).