Panchayat S1E3

Abhishek is getting comfortable in his surroundings. He decides to buy a chair that offers comforts while hes sitting and working at the Panchayat offices. Parameshwar, an elderly man in the village is marrying his daughter off. He goes to Brij Bhushan and tells him that the groom is making a request - he wants a separate waiting area from the rest of his party before the wedding takes place. The rest of the party will wait at the school, but there is no separate space for the groom. Pradhan ji asks Abhishek if it is alright that the groom wait at the Panchayat office. Abhishek says that it will be a big inconvenience to him since he likes to study in the evenings. Pradhan ji understands at first. But Parameshwar tells him that a secretary saying no to the Pradhan means that he doesn't respect his authority. He blames the chair saying that Abhishek is getting too big for his own boots. Next thing we see - the Panchayat office getting cleared up to accommodate the groom. Ah, the eccentricities of village life. Vikas is working errands for the wedding and Abhishek tells him that it is ridiculous. After all, it is not Vikass sisters wedding, so why should he be expected to do anything. But what ensues is hilarious! Abhishek gets roped into running errands for the wedding himself. Parameshwar tells him to buy things from a market and go straight to his house where more work can be given to him. Everyone in the village must come together to make this wedding a success. And Abhishek finds himself falling in the same trap that he just made fun of Vikas for. Meanwhile, Brij Bhushan discusses with Prahlad the importance of the chair. How can he place himself in a higher position than the secretary. Prahlad tells him to buy a chair as well. But then they will be equals, chimes in Pradhan ji. He has to be superior. The groom arrives and with a few friends is placed in the Panchayat office. He is insufferable and has many requests. Abhishek grudgingly acquiesces to all of them. Then groom then wants to sit in Abhisheks chair. With a lot of hesitation, Abhishek rolls the chair out. Its still new and shiny with its plastic covering intact. The groom now insists that the plastic covering needs to be removed in order for him to be comfortable. Abhishek reaches his breaking point and refuses to do so. He then loses his cool and calls the groom as asshole. An accurate description, in my opinion. Parameshwar gets a call. This is now a town issue. The grooms father asks why anyone would call his son an asshole - googling the word and taking it at a very literal meaning. Abhishek explains that asshole also means an idiot. So Pradhan ji offers this solution - why doesnt the groom call Abhishek an idiot and then theyll be even and the wedding can continue. This solution seems to work for everyone. But the groom wants to change one thing - he wants to call Abhishek an asshole (not an idiot). The hilarity of the situation. Abhishek stands quietly as multiple people call him an asshole. The wedding is back on. Except the groom now has one more request. As part of his dowry, he also wants the chair that has become the issue of contention. He will not agree to the wedding without this condition being met. Abhishek has no option but to agree. He watches the car loaded onto the back of the truck. He has lost this battle. Abhishek asks where he will sit and Pradhan ji intervenes. He tells him that he can use his chair in the interim. Pradhan ji will buy himself a new chair. The next day, Pradhan ji has bought the same chair that Abhishek used to own. Pradhan ji is official back to being the superior and all is right in the world of the Phulera Panchayat. This episode had some great comedic moments - like the ego battle between Abhishek and the groom. I wish the showrunners had taken a different approach with the idea of dowry. Instead of acquiescing to the demands of a dumb, selfish and entitled groom, I would have loved to see the community stand up against this antiquated practice. TVF has been in trouble before for being an incredibly sexist organisation. One look at this show, indicates that this problem is true. There are no fleshed-out women characters in the show except for Manju Devi who plays into the loud mother stereotype that patriarchy is comfortable with. I think this storyline missed the opportunity to make a larger point about gender stereotypes and played comfortably into the hands of patriarchy. In fact, I dont think we even see the girl whos getting married. The erasure of women in this series is starting to become troubling.