'Only upper-caste characters exist': Neeraj Ghaywan slams TVF, 'Panchayat'
What's the story
Filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan has criticized The Viral Fever (TVF) and their popular show Panchayat for creating a caste-blind world. In an interview with Yuvaa, he said that while TVF's shows are good, they don't have any representation of lower-caste or Muslim characters. He stressed that this is particularly concerning given that these shows are made by highly educated individuals.
Criticism
'It's made by IIT-ians, who are supposed...'
Ghaywan said, "Take TVF, and they have been doing very good." "And they have shows that are genuinely very good. And that's exactly why I have the problem." "It's made by IIT-ians, who are supposed to be the most educated lot in this country." "And every single show of theirs, since inception, has always had upper-caste characters. Not a single lower-caste person, not a single Muslim."
Show critique
'You cannot create an entire village where only upper-caste...'
He further said, "Now, you, as this educated person, cannot take that responsibility. And, like, you know, if some old-timer makes a film, I get it." "But, like, come on, try to understand this, you're educated, right? You cleared IIT, didn't you? You studied engineering for four years." "That you call this celebrated TV show of yours, Panchayat, which everybody thinks is the most authentic representation of villages." "No...it isn't...You cannot create an entire village where only upper-caste names exist."
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About 'Panchayat'
Panchayat is one of TVF's most acclaimed web series, blending slice-of-life storytelling with humor, emotion, and social commentary. The show stars Jitendra Kumar as Abhishek Tripathi, an engineering graduate who reluctantly takes up the job of secretary at a gram panchayat in Phulera village, Uttar Pradesh. The ensemble cast also includes Raghubir Yadav as Pradhan Brij Bhushan Dubey and Neena Gupta as Manju Devi.