Panchayat Season 4 (2025) Series: Jitendra Kumar’s Village Drama Struggles to Match Its Legacy

Panchayat Season 4, released on June 24, 2025, marks the fourth chapter of Amazon Prime Video’s beloved rural comedy-drama series. Created by Deepak Kumar Mishra and Chandan Kumar, this season continues the story of Abhishek (Jitendra Kumar), the engineering graduate turned panchayat secretary in the fictional village of Phulera, Uttar Pradesh. The series features an ensemble cast including Jitendra Kumar, Raghubir Yadav, Neena Gupta, Faisal Malik, Chandan Roy, Sanvikaa, Durgesh Kumar, Pankaj Jha, and Sunita Rajwar.

Directed by Deepak Kumar Mishra and Akshat Vijaywargiya, this season spans eight episodes and delves deeper into the political dynamics of village life. The show has been a flagship series for The Viral Fever (TVF) and Amazon Prime Video, known for its authentic portrayal of rural India and gentle humor. However, Season 4 arrives with the weight of expectations from its highly successful predecessors.

Plot and Storyline

Season 4 centers around the much-awaited village panchayat elections, where Pradhan’s and Bhushan’s camps engage in fierce competition to maintain their political dominance. The future of everyone in the village, including Abhishek, hangs in the balance as these political machinations unfold. The season explores how electoral politics seep into every aspect of village life, affecting personal relationships and community dynamics.

The series dives deeper into politics, love angles, and emotional battles, marking a significant shift in tone from its earlier seasons. The narrative structure attempts to balance the familiar slice-of-life moments that made the series popular with more complex political storylines. However, this expansion in scope comes with its own challenges, as the show tries to maintain its characteristic simplicity while addressing weightier themes.

Cast Performance

Jitendra Kumar and Durgesh Kumar deliver performances that keep the series afloat, with their chemistry and timing remaining highlights of the season. Jitendra Kumar continues to embody Abhishek with his characteristic understated performance, bringing the right mix of frustration and resignation to the role. His portrayal of a city-educated man gradually adapting to rural life remains convincing and relatable.

Raghubir Yadav, as the village head, maintains his authentic portrayal of rural leadership, while Neena Gupta brings her usual gravitas to the role. Faisal Malik, Chandan Roy, and the supporting cast provide solid support to the main narrative. The ensemble cast’s familiarity with their characters shows, as they slip comfortably into their roles.

However, despite the cast giving their all and attempting to elevate the material, the writing doesn’t rise to meet their efforts. The performances feel somewhat constrained by a script that doesn’t provide enough fresh material for the actors to explore new dimensions of their characters.

Direction and Technical Aspects

The direction by Deepak Kumar Mishra and Akshat Vijaywargiya maintains the series’ visual authenticity, with cinematography by Amitabha Singh capturing the rural landscape effectively. The show continues to excel in creating an immersive rural atmosphere, with careful attention to details that make the village of Phulera feel real and lived-in.

Anurag Saikia’s music composition and Amit Kulkarni’s editing work contribute to maintaining the series’ established tone. The technical aspects remain consistent with previous seasons, ensuring continuity in the show’s visual and auditory identity. The production values maintain the series’ reputation for authentic rural storytelling without unnecessary glamorization.

What Works

The series continues to excel in its portrayal of rural bureaucracy and the small-town political landscape. The authentic dialogue and regional flavor remain strong points, making the viewing experience comfortable for fans of the franchise. The show’s ability to find humor in mundane situations, though diminished, still provides moments of genuine entertainment.

The character relationships, particularly the dynamic between Abhishek and the village residents, maintain their warmth and authenticity. I found myself appreciating the series’ continued commitment to showcasing rural India without stereotyping or over-dramatization.

What Could Be Better

The season suffers from slower pacing, minimal humor, and few memorable moments, creating an overall experience that feels diluted. The slower pacing and shift in tone have left some viewers struggling to connect with the series. The political focus, while providing narrative depth, sometimes comes at the expense of the gentle humor and character moments that made the series special.

I felt the season was a missed opportunity, banking heavily on nostalgia and familiar faces without offering much that’s genuinely new. The writing appears to be going through the motions rather than exploring fresh territory or deepening character development in meaningful ways.

The balance between comedy and drama feels off, with the series leaning too heavily into political commentary without maintaining the light touch that characterized earlier seasons.

Critical Reception and Ratings

On IMDb, Season 4 has received an average rating of around 8.0/10 across all eight episodes, which is lower compared to Season 1 (8.5/10), Season 2 (8.8/10), and Season 3 (8.5/10). While Season 4 currently holds the lowest rating among the four seasons, it remains in respectable territory.

Public response has been divided, with some calling it a masterclass in storytelling while others find it dull and dragged. Critics have generally praised the series’ writing, performances, direction, and technical aspects, appreciating its rural setting as a refreshing change from urban-themed content.

Professional reviews have acknowledged the series’ continued strengths while noting its inability to recapture the magic of earlier seasons. The critical consensus suggests that while the series remains watchable, it fails to justify its existence beyond fan service and franchise continuation.

Final Verdict

Panchayat Season 4 represents a series at a crossroads. While fans may still find parts to enjoy, they should approach with modest expectations. The season struggles to balance its established identity with the need for narrative progression, resulting in a viewing experience that feels both familiar and somehow lacking.

I believe the series continues to serve its purpose as comfort viewing, offering a glimpse into rural Indian life with its characteristic gentle approach. However, it fails to evolve meaningfully or justify its continuation beyond the goodwill generated by its predecessors. For newcomers, this might not be the ideal entry point into the Panchayat universe.

Rating: 3/5