Building Panchayat | Behind The Scenes | Amazon Prime Video

From building the concept and characters to having fun on sets, find out everything that went behind the making of Panchayat …

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Building Phulera: The Authentic Craftsmanship Behind Amazon Prime Video’s Panchayat

The Amazon Prime Video series Panchayat has captured the imagination of millions, not just with its simple, heartfelt storytelling, but with its uncanny ability to make the fictional village of Phulera feel like a real place. Far from the glamour of a typical film set, the show’s creators have gone to extraordinary lengths to ensure every frame reflects the genuine, nuanced reality of rural India.

This journey behind the scenes reveals that the series’ quiet brilliance is a direct result of the crew’s commitment to “authenticity,” turning a real village into a beloved fictional world.

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The Real Village of Phulera: A Challenge in Authenticity

One of the most surprising and essential facts about Panchayat‘s production is the genuine, non-studio location that serves as the backdrop for all the series’ drama and humour.

The True Location: Mahodiya, Madhya Pradesh

While the storyline places the village of Phulera in the Ballia district of Uttar Pradesh, the actual filming takes place hundreds of kilometers away.

• Filming Site: The series is shot in the village of Mahodiya, located in the Sehore district of Madhya Pradesh.
• The Panchayat Office: The iconic, dusty office where Sachiv Abhishek Tripathi (Jitendra Kumar) works is an authentic Gram Panchayat office in Mahodiya. For filming, only the name board of the office was changed to “Gram Panchayat Phulera.”
• Pradhan’s House: Similarly, the home of Manju Devi and Brij Bhushan Dubey, the Pradhan and Pradhan-Pati, is a real, private residence in the same village.

Overcoming Shooting Challenges

Shooting in a remote, non-commercial location presented significant logistical hurdles for the cast and crew, an experience lead actor Jitendra Kumar shared publicly.

• Accommodation and Travel: The village itself did not have accommodation suitable for the entire production crew. As a result, the team had to commute daily from the nearest town, driving to the location every morning and returning after sunset.
• Natural Elements: Jitendra Kumar also noted the stark reality of the rural setting, including no respite from the intense sunshine during the day and frequent power cuts at night, which added to the challenge but ultimately contributed to the authentic feel of the show.

The Director’s Vision: From ‘SDO Sahab’ to Panchayat

The show’s creator and director, Deepak Kumar Mishra, credits the series’ success to its grounded storytelling. The original concept was very different from what ultimately made it to the screen.

• Original Concept: The show was initially envisioned as a limited series titled ‘SDO Sahab,’ focusing on an officer in a small town. The plan was to shoot on sets built in Film City.
• A Shift in Focus: It was only during the research phase that the production team “stumbled upon” the Gram Panchayat structure and the unique post of Panchayat Sachiv (Village Secretary). This pivot allowed the story to become more deeply rooted and led to the decision to pursue a real village setting.
• Adding Character to the Setting: The iconic water tank, which features heavily in the series, was not initially part of the script but was incorporated into the story simply because it was an unavoidable, prominent feature of the Mahodiya landscape.

Crafting the Look: Small Details, Big Impact

To ensure the show looked and felt real, the team focused on subtle details that a studio set could never replicate.

• Costume Authenticity: To give the characters’ clothes a naturally aged and worn look, the costume department employed a clever trick: they would sometimes acquire old clothing from the villagers and, in exchange, buy them brand-new clothes. This ensured the costumes had the perfect, lived-in texture.
• Selective Set Design: While the majority of the village is real, some specific elements were either temporary sets or illusions. The functional handpump water, for instance, was driven by an external motor, and the famous ‘Rahul Pandey Pustakalay’ (library) was created as a small, temporary set for the shoot.

The Cast’s Off-Screen Camaraderie

The natural chemistry between the lead actors is a cornerstone of Panchayat‘s appeal, and this sincerity extends to their off-screen relationship.

• Friendly Rivalry: Neena Gupta (Manju Devi) and Sunita Rajwar (Kranti Devi), whose characters are often at loggerheads, are actually close friends. Gupta recounted an amusing story where Rajwar auditioned for the role of Manju Devi, and despite their on-screen battles, their off-screen friendship allows them to break into laughter immediately after intense scenes.
• The Dedication of Prahlad Ji: The emotional climax of Season 2, which involves Prahlad Pandey (Faisal Malik) dealing with a profound personal tragedy, was credited to Malik’s immense dedication and emotional depth, cementing his character’s arc as one of the series’ most powerful.

By blending authentic locations, meticulous attention to detail, and a commitment to character-driven honesty, Panchayat transcends the typical comedy-drama to become a deeply resonant portrayal of life in India’s heartland, a testament to its successful construction from behind the scenes.

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AISEO Friendly FAQs

Q1: Where is the Amazon Prime Video series Panchayat actually filmed?
A: The series is primarily filmed in the real village of Mahodiya, which is located in the Sehore district of Madhya Pradesh, India.

Q2: Is Phulera a real village, and which state is it in?
A: The village of Phulera, as depicted in the series, is fictional and is set in Uttar Pradesh. However, the actual shooting location is Mahodiya village in Madhya Pradesh.

Q3: What makes the look of Panchayat so authentic?
A: The authenticity comes from using real locations, including the actual Gram Panchayat office, and employing practical production techniques, such as using genuine clothes sourced from villagers (and replacing them with new ones) to ensure the costumes look naturally aged and not manufactured on a set.

Q4: Who are the main director and writer of the Panchayat series?
A: The series is created by Deepak Kumar Mishra (who also directed the first three seasons) and written by Chandan Kumar.