Series Title: Gram Chikitsalay
Director: Rahul Pandey
Cast: Amol Parashar, Vinay Pathak, Anandeshwar Dwivedi, Akanksha Ranjan Kapoor
Platform: Prime Video
Rating: ⭐⭐ (2 out of 5)
TVF Fumbles with Its New Rural Drama
TVF, which has a reputation for emotionally charged and grounded storytelling, hit the right chord with series such as Gullak (2019) and Panchayat (2020). These shows were appreciated for their real characters and slice-of-life storytelling. But Gram Chikitsalay, TVF’s new release now available on Prime Video, is a letdown. Rather than being original, it presents a rehashed version of Panchayat with nothing new to present — stale humor, one-dimensional characters, and uninspired direction.
Plot Summary: A Doctor, a Village, and Unpredictable Conflict
The plot revolves around a recently posted, well-trained government doctor (Amol Parashar) posted to work in a rural village. Yet, his attempts at treating patients are unsuccessful — not due to incompetence, but because the people prefer to visit a non-registered, untrained quack (Vinay Pathak) who has been doing the job for years.
The hospital in the village is in disarray. Government medicine is being auctioned off, employees hardly make it to work, and politics hangs over the head of every corner in the village. Through this, the honest doctor has to gain the trust of the villagers, but the way is filled with clichés, sluggish pace, and repetitive tropes that contribute nothing to the story.
Acting & Performances: Great Cast, Disappointing Script
Amol Parashar
Amol Parashar excels as the sincere doctor, injecting subteness and commitment into the act. His work looks natural and devoted — perhaps the only plus of the series.
Vinay Pathak
Vinay Pathak returns to a substantial role as the quack doctor. He infuses his trademark freshness and multi-faceted acting on screen, but even he can’t save a script that’s so flimsy.
Akanksha Ranjan Kapoor
Akanksha Ranjan Kapoor forsakes the glam avatar for a down-to-earth village look — but is woefully underused. Just when her character begins to emerge, the direction of the plot changes, and she is left with an incomplete arc.
Anandeshwar Dwivedi & Supporting Cast
Dwivedi resorts to his standard comic timing, but once more, comes across as a character borrowed from Panchayat. The supporting cast performs decently, but the writing doesn’t let them do their best.
Direction & Writing: A Pale Shadow of Panchayat
While Gram Chikitsalay is idea-lit by Panchayat creator Deepak Kumar Mishra, the reins are taken this time by Rahul Pandey. It is not as smoothly delivered as Panchayat was, with none of its subtlety, humor, and emotional resonance.
The dialogue and screenplay by Shreya Shrivastava and Vaibhav Suman lack spark and seem to be rushed through. There is no direction of purpose behind the scenes that are dragging along, and there’s either predictable humor or none at all.
It seems like the makers tried to put Panchayat’s format into a hospital scenario – but the formula doesn’t succeed without heart, creativity, or connectability.
Is Gram Chikitsalay Worth Watching?
Frankly, Gram Chikitsalay is a watered-down, “budget-friendly” copy of Panchayat. Each character makes you think of someone you’ve already met. Each plot twist is predictable. There’s no surprise or emotional impact to hold viewers.
The series has only five episodes, and though it is short, even that length feels stretched. If you absolutely have nothing else to watch, you may consider going for it. But if you’re looking for another such treasure like Panchayat or Gullak, you’re in for a letdown.
Final Verdict: A Recycling Story Without Any Spark
Even with a great cast and a socially important topic, Gram Chikitsalay has nothing memorable to offer. It’s the kind of show that you forget after it ends — not because it’s subtle, but because it doesn’t really attempt to work hard.
TVF has raised the bar for itself over the years, and this disappointing effort is even more glaring because of it. Perhaps it’s time for the creators to abandon reusing winning formulas and return to the drawing board with some new ideas.
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