Deceptive Dupahiya!

The only thing that might go against the series is if the viewers had already watched Panchayat seasons 1 and 2!

The populace that inhabits the sprightly rural India, with her simple charms and inherent ills, is portrayed yet again in a drama that unfolds the merry ride of life.

In the village of Dhadakpur, apparently famous for being the only crime-free village in Bihar, a sudden theft shakes the balance. A bike, bought as a dowry by Banwari Jha, for the marriage of his daughter, Roshni, gets stolen just eight days prior to the scheduled wedding! This not only puts the marriage at stake, but a lot of other problems crops up as well! The pride of the village being crime-free for 24 years, is threatened as do the promise of the grant of fresh water, for holding the record for just another year. Roshni's dream of settling in the city, far away from the coarsely interfering rustic ambience, is checked as does his father's wish of becoming the permanent principal of the local school, a promise that the wedding grants!

Village politics dutifully comes to play with the scheming opposition trying to expose the crime against the head, seeking to hush the theft for the sake of the record and the people! Added tot this is the lazy but smart inspector of police with a personal grievance against Banwari and the aspiring reporter, seeking for a scoop to apply for a position of a journalist, who add further hurdles to face!

So, all seems to depend on the local kleptomaniac and Roshni's reel-obsessed brother to find a solution and attempt at a replacement.

With twists, prickly and hilarious, the plot becomes increasingly enjoyable as the events unfold and characters are revealed. The simplicity of the rural province is treated with humility while the inherent woes and pains are laced with humour that gives the series a flavour that appeals. With a message, not too subtle against the social evil of dowry and the irrational stigma against the dark-complexioned, the series serves as a stark reminder of who we actually are and what we need to be!

Directed very ably as guided by Sonam Nair, all the performers acted just perfectly and none can be said to be better than the other. A display of classic acting, all who portrayed the characters, even those with a wee bit of screen presence, all marked their presence with superb professionalism! Created and scripted by Avinash Dwivedi, Chirag Garg, Salona Bains Joshi and Subh Shivdasani, the series is highly recommended for both old and young!