Neena Gupta on her Role in ‘Panchayat’: Many Women like Manju Devi Around Us
Neena Gupta’s character, Manju Devi, in the popular series “Panchayat” has struck a chord with audiences all over the country. Gupta attributes this popularity to the fact that there are many women like Manju Devi in various parts of India.
In the show, Gupta portrays the role of the effervescent Manju Devi, the village head of Phulera in Uttar Pradesh. While she holds the title of village head, it is her husband who actually handles all the administrative responsibilities. Gupta explained, “She is very satisfied with her household things; she has no ambition. Pradhan is working on her behalf, people liked it and that’s how women in India do it in rural or urban places. So, women relate to me, to Manju devi.”
Despite the progressiveness of many women in the country, Gupta noted that onscreen portrayals of such characters are often not well-received by audiences. She mentioned her role in the television show ‘Khandaan’, where her portrayal of a progressive woman was seen as negative. Gupta emphasized, “Bold characters don’t work here. In movies, we see them as sati savitri.”
“Panchayat”, which also features actors like Jitendra Kumar and Raghubir Yadav, revolves around the daily issues faced by residents of a fictional village in Uttar Pradesh. The comedy-drama first premiered in 2020 and its second season was released in 2022 to positive reviews.
Gupta, who had played the role of Manju Devi in the previous seasons, shared that it took time for her to fully embody the character due to the unique dialect. She expressed her hope that the upcoming Lok Sabha elections would address the issue of unemployment, stating, “All I want is whoever comes in power, they should’ve a good motive. I’m worried about employment; the youth should get employment or else they might do wrong things.”
Directed by Deepak Kumar Mishra and created by The Viral Fever, “Panchayat 3” was released on Tuesday, promising more political drama and laughs for viewers to enjoy.