‘Panchayat 3’: Fans root for Abhishek Tripathi to stay in Phulera, want ‘hero’ to ‘fail’
New Delhi, June 22 (IANS/WISHAVWARTA) First things first, have you ever prayed for your hero to “fail”? The answer might, or rather, actually be “no”! But one series which hit Amazon Prime in 2020 and continues to rule the top chart has changed that perspective! Yes, we are talking about the short-budget critically acclaimed and much-loved ‘Panchayat’. Every fan of that series wants ‘Sachiv Ji’ Abhishek Tripathi (played by actor Jitendra Kumar) to fail in his attempt to crack the CAT and remain in Phulera for the rest of his life! When TVF first introduced ‘Panchayat’, Abhishek Tripathi was desperate to escape the village he deemed dull and uninspiring. However, as the series unfolded, he began to develop a fondness for Phulera. In season 2, after meeting Rinki (Sanvikaa) at the water tank for the tea break, his love for the village grows manifold. Rinki, wearing a long Kurti and tight-fitted jeans, looked ‘desi’ girl and modern at the same time. And why not, she is the daughter of Pradhan ji, the most advanced family in that village. Fans were awestruck by the onscreen chemistry between Sachiv ji and Rinki, flooding social media with their memes. In the newly released Season 3, Abhishek still harbours ambitions to clear the CAT exam but finds himself increasingly drawn back to village life, especially after being suspended by the local MLA Chandu, played by Pankaj Jha. There are several ups and downs this season, and credit goes to the director, Deepak Kumar Mishra — who gave equal screen time to all the characters, even to the “Baans” (bamboo)! Yeah, you read it right, a piece of bamboo, too, has a story to share on screen. Hats off to the creative side! Upp-pradhan (Vice-president) a.k.a ‘Prahlad Cha’ (Faisal Malik), is silent and drunk most of the time (because of the death of his son, who was in the army), but his little laughter in between, made fans’ eyes wet. He, who used to follow ‘Pardhan ji’ (Raghubir Yadav) blindly, now questions him and blames him for the mess. He is not interested in contesting the next elections either. Well, there are a lot of characters to discuss, but let’s get back to the hero, ‘Sachiv ji’. The appearance (clothes) may not be the old Abhishek Tripathi, even the skin tone. But the dialogue delivery and style continue to impress the masses. The love affair of Rinki and Sachiv ji is a treat to watch — shyness, fear, and cuteness loaded with fun. How ‘Mehmaan’ (the husband of Rinki’s best friend) — with whom Sachiv ji had a fight with in the first season over the revolving Chair — helps him get in the back seat of the car to be with Rinki, hits differently. The final episode shows the hero giving one tight slap — the most satisfying part of all three series — to the villain Bhushan Kumar a.k.a ‘Banrakas’ played by actor Durgesh Kumar, after Pradhan ji gets shot at by unknown shooters. His street fight with the MLA and others reminds everyone of the famous UP ‘Battle of Baghpat’ – laughter that can’t be controlled. In the end, Sachiv ji and others are taken to the police station, and his brother questions him about whether one can get admission to college after a police case is registered. The silence at that moment raises several doubts, about whether now he wants to leave or not. But one thing is confirmed, fans want their hero to fail! Social media is filled with memes, and netizens requesting the director to “fulfil” their wish. “Please, don’t make him clear the exam,” quipped one user. Another wrote, “First time, CAT looks unimpressive in front of Sachiv post.” “I wish Sachiv ji to fail his exam and remain in Phulera with Rinki and others. Hello, TVF, can you do that,” wrote a social media user. There are several such requests on the internet and it will be interesting to see how the director and writer balance Season 4. As of now, signing off with current Insta reel trending song, Manoj Tiwari’s…‘Hind Ke Sitara’! —
