BOTTOM LINE
A Panchayat Rehash in a New Backdrop
PLATFORM
PRIME VIDEO
RUNTIME
200 Minutes (5 Episodes)
What Is the Show About?
Dr. Prabhat leaves his city hospital for a neglected rural health centre, only to find the path blocked by farmland. He faces resistance from villagers preferring a quack doctor and uncovers illegal medicine sales within the PHC. Further troubles arise with misplaced vaccines and the strange behaviour of a staff member’s son Sudhir. Amidst political tensions, Prabhat confronts corruption and addresses Sudhir’s mental health while navigating complex village dynamics.
Performances
Barely a week after the release of Kull, Amol Parashar returns in a contrasting role as a doctor humbled by the eccentricities of a sleepy village. He plays his part with integrity, effectively portraying Prabhat’s internal ambiguities. Vinay Pathak’s brief appearance as a quack doctor who, despite his dubious methods, wins the trust of the locals with warmth, adds authenticity to the narrative.
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Anandeshwar Dwivedi delivers a standout performance as Phutani, a corrupt staff member at the health centre, bringing a unique flavour through his dialogue delivery and expressions. Garima Vikrant Singh convincingly portrays a mother fiercely protective of her son’s mental health. Akanksha Ranjan Kapoor’s role feels inconsequential and underdeveloped. Others, including Akash Makhija and Santoo Kumar, stay true to their parts, adding to the overall grounded tone.
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Analysis
It’s no surprise that Amazon Prime’s slice-of-life rural dramedy Gram Chikitsalay is backed by TVF, for it stays true to all the attributes you expect from a production house that delivered (3 seasons of) Panchayat. Like the latter, the show explores small-town realities through an outsider’s lens—a government official who gradually wins the locals’ trust by overcoming initial friction.
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Dr. Prabhat, a son of a renowned medico from a metropolis, leaves behind a comfortable life to be deputed at a health centre in a quaint village. As you’d expect, it is stuck in a time warp — unaffected by modern advancements, embroiled in infighting, and governed by age-old belief systems. The locals prefer visiting quack doctors over qualified professionals, resisting any change.
The struggles for Prabhat are as basic as they can get: a drunkard occupying government land, refusing to let him build a path to the centre; one of the staff members illegally hoarding medical supplies and selling them to shops for profit; a centre infested with rats; a non-functional BP machine; and all hell breaking loose when a staff member’s son fails to deliver vaccines to a camp.
Further mounting troubles arise as the centre barely has any patients, and efforts to raise awareness about it seem futile. Instead, Prabhat finds himself lost in trying to win the locals’ support through two local leaders. Initially unaware of the repercussions, he gradually navigates his way through the village, thanks to his integrity and perseverance.
While employing an age-old template — reminiscent of stories like Swades, where a progressive outsider aims to educate and uplift a backward village — Gram Chikitsalay has its heart in the right place. Despite the familiar beats, the storytelling is sincere. A stubborn yet earnest urban lad, Prabhat comes to terms with the ways of a village; he still needs to adapt to its realities before he can truly transform it.
Unlike Panchayat, where warmth was amplified by witty writing and well-developed, memorable characters who had their arcs, Gram Chikitsalay feels somewhat more generic in its world-building. It resembles a corporate CSR initiative, well-intentioned but lacking in depth, where there’s little effort to challenge or change the existing modus operandi.
At times, it seems to take its viewers for granted, missing opportunities to infuse its setting with the same charm and nuance that made Panchayat so endearing. The evolution of Prabhat’s character, and the situations that push him to transform, are disappointingly simplistic — whether it’s Sudhir’s subplot, the conversation with the quack doctor, or the tense encounters with local leaders.
A recurring flaw is the tendency to resolve conflicts in overly convenient ways; like many TVF shows, the characters often face issues that are superficially addressed, with minimal consequences for problematic actions. Every social issue is camouflaged in a deceptively feel-good exterior. The repetitive use of such tropes robs the show of its attempt to express/convey anything worthwhile.
Gram Chikitsalay leaves you with a bittersweet feeling. It isn’t one of TVF’s stronger recent outings, but it’s a story worth telling. Had it been approached from a new perspective, it might have made a stronger impression
Music and Other Departments?
Nilotpal Bora’s music score may not break any new ground, but it does what’s expected of the show within its constraints. Similarly, there’s not much to complain about Girish Kant’s visuals, which are safe (and bland at times), though they don’t leave you in awe. The dialogues are among its strengths, witty and flavourful at once. The compact runtime (around 200 minutes) helps its cause.
Highlights?
Familiar premise
Decent performances
Tells a socially relevant story
Drawbacks?
Age-old rural template
Lacks a strong emotion or entertainment
Easy resolution of conflicts, convenient ending
Did I Enjoy It?
In parts
Will You Recommend It?
If you don’t mind something on the lines of Panchayat in the medical arena
Gram Chikitsalay OTT Web Series Review by M9
