Gram Chikitsalay

This series is based on the life of a medical officer posted in a remote village where medical services are rarely available. It has a theme similar to the popular series Panchayat, where a young officer goes to a remote village to get a job. However, the prime difference between these two series is that in the case of Panchayat, the officer is kinda forced to accept his job because of misguided priorities, but in Gram Chikitsalay, the officer takes up the position voluntarily. This is kind of an antithesis to most of the audience, as people do not expect to take up jobs in remote places like this out of sheer will.

But to be honest, this series tries to spin up a story about rural life and manages to tell an interesting tale. This makes me recommend this series for at least one time watch.

TVF delivers again. Lead actor is a find. Panchayat reimagined in a beautiful way and holds its own despite the inevitable comparisons it will garner.

I'm stoked at the quality of OTT content that TVF is delivering. And can't wait to watch the rest of the episodes. Loved the simplicity and the theme with a positive message that is sure to resonate with the audience.

Thank you, TVF and the makers of Panchayat who have kept high standards with script, dialog, direction and a wonderful cast. Each character is uniquely gifted and delivers to delight and cherish.

I look forward to many more of this from TVF.

At first glance, this series felt like pure entertainment - quirky characters, sharp wit, and just the right amount of chaos to make you binge three episodes without noticing the time. It was fun, even silly at times, and I honestly thought it would stay in that lane. But then, it did something rare: it shifted gears, and it did it perfectly.

Somewhere between the laughs and drama, the show took a hard turn into something real. It started tackling a very specific, very necessary aspect of our society - all through the lens of medicine. It wasn't preachy or overly sentimental. Instead, it exposed how the healthcare system fails people - not in broad, abstract ways, but in detailed, painfully accurate terms. It showed what doctors really face behind closed doors, what patients are forced to endure, and how policies, biases, and broken systems shape real lives.

The first two episodes of the series had me completely with light hearted gags and superficial struggles of Amol's character. However the story gets serious from episode 3 and ends in a way no one would have imagined after watching the trailer. The character choices are drawn heavily from Panchayat (web series) and hence do not feel fresh. Amol Parashar's attempt is honest but Anandeshwar Dwivedi, Vinay Pathak and Akash Makhija are spot on. Garima Vikrant Singh however overshadows them all. I had last seen her in a daily soap called Nimki Mukhiya and had never imagined her doing such a role. Every single actor including the one who plays Sudhir has given his 100% but the story and character development is so abrupt that you cannot remain connected with anyone for long. The series does not stay with you after you complete it but does manage to keep you hooked through out. Probably because you want to see more of Vinay Pathak, but that never happens.

The story as I said is weak and is merely touching upon the struggles MOs have to face during their mandatory rural postings. The research is not proper and grounded. The screenplay also seems to have been written in haste. May be the makers were in a hurry to release it.

Goofs: 1. People are wearing sweaters in September.

2. The guy who delivers vaccine to MO should have come from CMO office, but comes from the direction of village.

3. Village people keep switching from bhojpuri to maghi and maithili.

Not bad for a casual watch but not same league as other TVF creations. Pattern is a bit similar to Panchayat with an urban guy goes and stays in village but the main actor (MO) is the worst one. Bad direction too with a supposed intelligent and educated doctor keeps speaking in English with hardcore Bihari villagers (and somehow they understand too !).

Most of the other actors are authentic, and Vinay Pathak is of course Vinay Pathak ! The main actor spoils the feel and sounds and looks stupid in his swanky shoes and sparkling white shirt, lacking acting depth for such a role. Maybe TVF is getting into this trap of trying too many series of very similar nature (refresh your idea bank !!)