The fourth season of Panchayat, as expected, is creating waves ever since it dropped on Amazon Prime Video. In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, the beautiful and talented Sanvikaa spoke about playing Rinki, the response, how the shooting location has become a tourist spot and a lot more.
Before talking about Panchayat Season 4, I would also like to speak about the pickleball theme photoshoot that you and the rest of the actors of the show did. It’s like seeing Phulera residents in a parallel universe…
(Smiles) The photoshoot’s idea came from Amazon Prime Video. During the release of every season, they portray the characters in a completely different avatar. We did something similar after season 3. This time, it was a pickleball setup.
How has the feedback been this time?
The feedback has been very nice. Panchayat fans are very loyal. We have received love consistently right from the first season. They are involved a lot with the lives of the Phulera’s vaasis. It’s been a different story for me every season. In Season 2, I was very nervous but when it came out, ‘National Crush’ started trending. This time, people are appreciating my craft and acting.
Do people recognize you in malls or airports?
Oh yes. Even if I am just passing by, people will recognize me and they will compliment me. They talk about the show, my performances and its small details. They express love for Binod, Sachiv ji, Neena Gupta ma’am, etc. Then they open up on how many times they have seen it. Some have been rewatching right from the first season. A lot of people have revealed that when they are having their meals, they like to play Panchayat. It’s a big compliment. Many will see your show once but to see it on repeat mode shows that the show has a fan base.
It was good to see some progress in the love life of Rinki and Sachiv Ji. Yet, there are complaints that they haven’t yet gotten married…
(Smiles) That is the feedback we have been consistently getting since Season 2. Many ask us, ‘Sachiv Ji aur Rinki kab saath mein honge?’. They want to know what will happen to them. I can’t answer that. It depends on the writers on how they want to take the story ahead. It might happen or it might not. I have no clue! It is all in the hands of the makers and what the audience wants.
View this post on Instagram
Netizens have mentioned Panchayat-related locations on Google Maps for the village of Mahodiya, where the show is shot. I guess it has become a tourist spot…
Oh yes. It has. It is common for people to visit the place and explore the Panchayat office, the village tank, Pradhan ji’s house, etc. I myself was taken aback. When we were on our way, I opened the maps to see the route. I was pleasantly surprised to see ‘Gram Panchayat Phulera mein aapka swagat hai’ being mentioned on the map! I was like, ‘This is amazing’ (laughs)!
How do the locals react to you guys coming every year or every few years for the shoot and also to the increasing tourism?
The locals are very chill over there. It’s an everyday part of their life. Hence, they are not affected. They are busy with their day-to-day activities. Sometimes, when we shoot in the lanes, they stop to look around and click pictures. But we haven’t faced any problem. The locals have been very supportive. They also interact with tourists. They are asked whether they have seen the show and the actors of the show. Moreover, whenever we go there to shoot a season, we see the place getting more and more developed.
In 2011, tourism in Spain increased after Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara was released. The same has happened with Mahodiya it seems…
(Laughs) Correct.
We often hear that actors spontaneously say something and it is included in the final cut. Does that happen on Panchayat’s sets as well?
98% of what we shoot is a part of the script. Chandan Kumar is a very brilliant writer. He has neatly explained in his writing to us how to express the correct emotion. Improvisations happen but the directors are of the opinion that we have to stick to the script. There are times when actors improvise but mostly, the directors reject it as the dialogues are written in a particular meter.
The most nail-biting scene was when you threw the bag, full of money, out of the house. How many takes did you take to get it right?
(Laughs) That scene was a challenge. I am not into sports and hence, I was unable to understand how I should throw the bag. Akshat (director Akshat Vijaywargiya), our associate directors and others, who play cricket, gave their own suggestions on how to throw. During the shoot, the bag would not go up to the desired height. At times, it would fall on us or it would land on the roof. I did 8-9 takes to make sure that the bag perfectly crossed the roof and landed on the other side. Once that happened, everyone celebrated on the set!
You mentioned recently that you refused to kiss. When I saw the scene, where you and Sachiv Ji almost kissed and the lights turned on, it worked well. An actual kiss at this point might not have suited the mood of the scene and also the theme of the show…
In the initial script, the kissing wasn’t a part of that scene. The kissing was supposed to happen when she helped him wear the muffler. At that point, the scene was that the bike falls and then they both kiss. I was asked about it and I told them, ‘At this stage, I don’t think I am comfortable’. Jeetu (Jitendra Kumar) also said, ‘If you are not comfortable, then no one would force you. Don’t worry’. The makers were very nice and respected my decision.
Then a day before the tank scene, the makers came up with the kissing idea when Sachiv shows his wound to Rinki, leading to a moment. When they were about to kiss, the electricity was restored.
You posted a story on Instagram that read ‘Sometimes I wish I was an insider or maybe from a very powerful background, things would have been so much easier (maybe, I don’t know)…As basic as getting respect and being treated as an equal. The battles would have been lesser. Hanging on…”. I am sure it must have resonated with a lot of your contemporaries who also have no connections…
Yes, they agreed with me. A lot of people supported me, from my co-actors to fans of the show. However, it came out of a particular context which no one knows about. It is something that only I am aware of. I don’t want to escalate this thing further. All I could say is that it did come from a hurtful place and I wanted to vent it out. Everyone will have their own theories ki yeh hua hoga ya woh hua hoga!
Panchayat has become quite huge and not just aam junta but even the film industry is watching it religiously. Has any actor or filmmaker reached out to you and appreciated your work?
Those who are known to me have congratulated me. Other than that, no one has messaged. But now if I go for a screening or any event, they greet me warmly and appreciate my work.
More Pages: Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara Box Office Collection , Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara Movie Review
BOLLYWOOD NEWS - LIVE UPDATES
Catch us for latest Bollywood News, New Bollywood Movies update, Box office collection, New Movies Release , Bollywood News Hindi, Entertainment News, Bollywood Live News Today & Upcoming Movies 2025 and stay updated with latest hindi movies only on Bollywood Hungama.
