Gram Chikitsalay review: Amol Parashar's show comes with Panchayat vibes with faded impact

The tactic of presenting old content with a fresh polish is something Indian audiences are quite familiar with. In 2020, the world was captivated by Panchayat, a one-of-a-kind show that won millions of hearts with its innocence and simple storytelling. Five years later, we now have plenty of shows set in rural India, highlighting everyday life and chores. The most recent addition to this list was Dupahiya, a similar format with slight changes here and there.

In a few months, again, we have got the new entry to the list, which is Gram Chikitsalay, the TVF series that comes from the makers of the Panchayat. And watching the show, it felt like we were watching a story from the world of Phulera or a village nearby.   

The show takes you to a village of Jharkhand, called Bhatkandi, where a gold medalist Dr Prabhat Sinha (Amol Parashar), who has a passion to do something for the unprivileged and moves to a remote village when he gets a job as a medical officer (MO). While he has every choice to live a comfortable life, Dr Prabhat accepts a government job in this remote village, a world that he's not familiar with at all.

The series begins with the death of an elderly man who passes away after receiving an injection from a local doctor, Chetak Kumar (Vinay Pathak). Whether the death was due to the injection or old age remains a mystery. The villagers are mourning the loss of Sipahi Chacha, and it's when Dr. Prabhat arrives in the village, only to find that the Primary Health Centre is a building that no one looks at.

Right after entering the village, the first job of Dr Prabhat is not to look at the patients, but to remove the overgrown paddy fields at the PHC. With this, the struggle and the journey of Dr Prabhat begins. How Dr Prabhat earns his first patient in the village where he's not welcomed at all makes the rest of the story. 

Directed by Deepak Kumar Mishra and Arunabh Kumar, the show gives you a deja vu of Panchayat from the first frame. The only difference is that while Abhishek (Jitendra Kumar) had no interest in moving into Phullera, Dr Prabhat has moved into the village by choice. That was the first thought that struck me as I began watching. As you watch the series, there are plenty of things that will come to your mind. However, what sets this show apart is its focus on the troubling state of healthcare in rural India and the worrisome situation with challenges that persist despite the presence of government infrastructure.

In bits and pieces, the five-episode series ably explores issues like corruption, the lack of awareness and literacy in rural areas. Having said that, the show also blends emotions with the story. However, the overall impact doesn’t quite match the standard set by other rural dramas. Some scenes feel overdone and out of sync with the show’s tone, leaving you puzzled.

While the show delivers a social message, what about entertainment? It feels like the makers assumed that setting the story in a familiar setup that is already a hit would be enough, but that’s not the case here. From the characters to the storyline, and even the dialogues and serious moments, none of it leaves a lasting impact.

Chetak Kumar (Vinay Pathak), who plays a doctor without a degree, aka  "jholachap" doctor,  a character that I found interesting first.  However, surprisingly, he contributes little to the plot. His monologue felt unnecessary, and I couldn’t understand why it even existed.

Every character in the show lacks depth. Parashar tried hard to make his character of Dr Prabhat Sinha feel, but things felt hollow at many times.  The supporting characters, such as Anandeshwar Dwivedi as Phutani and Akash Makhija as the ward boy, try to bring some much-needed laughter to the show. And to some extent, they did. 

The only things that I liked about the show were the realistic portrayal of village life, which was effectively brought to the screen. Garima Singh, who played Nurse Indu, also wins every frame she's in.

Rahul Pandey's directorial is a social commentary on rural healthcare, but it lacks in holding the audience's attention. Gram Panchayat is another addition to this growing rural sub-genre that you won't regret skipping.