OPINION: In sea of urban chaos, how village-themed stories like Panchayat and Dupahiya are offering rural respite

In the world of flashy web series full of spies, crime, and action, some simple and heartwarming shows are quietly winning hearts. Based on real stories from villages, rural-themed shows like Panchayat and Dupahiya may not have big stars or high drama, but they are real.

Panchayat starring Jitendra Kumar, Neena Gupta, and Raghubir Yadav tells the story of a young man (Abhishek Tripathi) who works as a secretary in a small village.

With light humor and honest storytelling about elections, it shows the day-to-day life in rural India. The problems, beauty, and the people. Dupahiya follows a similar path, focusing on small-town life and issues that we often forget in the city hustle.

Now, the makers of Panchayat (TVF) are coming up with another show called Gram Chikitsalay. The new series focuses on how poor the healthcare system is in villages.

It tells the story of an educated doctor who wants to help but faces trouble from untrained local practitioners, villagers who don’t trust him, and local police. It shows how hard it is to bring change when people are used to the old, broken practices.

Movies like Akshay Kumar's Toilet: Ek Prem Katha did something similar. With humor and emotion, it highlighted how rural women suffer because they don’t have proper toilets.

Another movie, Swades, showed how one man returns from abroad to help bring electricity to his village. Films like Lagaan and Well Done Abba also show village struggles in a simple yet strong way.

These stories don’t try to impress with glamor, they connect with us by showing real life, all the challenges and small joys. In a world full of shiny, fast-paced content, these shows remind us of the heart of India, its villages, and the people who live there.

As audiences grow weary of formulaic thrillers and over-the-top dramas, I feel the quiet power of rural narratives is finally being acknowledged. 

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