Goa, 28 November 2023

Panchayat 2, the heartwarming Hindi comedy-drama series streamed on Amazon Prime Video, clinched the prestigious first-ever OTT Award for Web Series at the 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) held in Goa.

Makers of Panchayat 2 receiving the OTT Award for Web Series at IFFI 54

Directed by Deepak Kumar Mishra and written by Chandan Kumar, Panchayat 2 intricately weaves the tale of Abhishek Tripathi, an urban graduate reluctantly embracing the role of Secretary at a decrepit Panchayat Office in the remote fictional village of Phulera, situated in Uttar Pradesh's Ballia district.

Following the resounding success of its debut season, the second season plunges deeper into Abhishek's life in Phulera, navigating fresh challenges amidst the village's politics while preparing for his CAT exams, striving for a corporate future. This season, laced with relatable moments and abundant humor, candidly depicts the daily trials of village life, spotlighting Abhishek's evolving relationships with Pradhan, Vikas, Prahlad, and Manju Devi while juggling diverse village issues.

Earlier, at the inaugural function of the 54th IFFI, Shr. Anurag Thakur, the Minister of Information and Broadcasting had said that OTT industry has seen a boom in India and original content created in India is employing thousands of people. Highlighting the dynamic growth rate of 28% annually in this sector, the Minister had said that the OTT awards were introduced to honor exceptional digital content creators across platforms.

Panchayat 2 stood out among the final nominations, including Rocket Boys Season 1 by Abhay Pannu, Nirmal Pathak Ki Ghar Wapsi by Rahul Pandey & Satish Nair, and Human directed by Vipul Amrutlal Shah & Mozez Singh.

A still from the OTT web series Panchayat 2

The Jury Panel also unanimously recommended special mention to the web series Rocket Boys Season 1, streamed on Sony Liv.

The competition received an impressive 32 entries spanning 10 languages from 15 OTT platforms.

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PIB Team IFFI | Nadeem/Rajith/Naseer/Darshana | IFFI 54 - 093