' Not a single lower-caste person, not a single Muslim': Neeraj Ghaywan claims 'Panchayat' is not authentic representation of villages

Filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan has spoken about the need for greater social representation in Indian cinema and streaming content. The director, whose films have consistently explored caste and inequality, believes that many acclaimed productions still fail to portray the full diversity of Indian society.During a recent conversation with Yuvaa, Neeraj Ghaywan discussed the responsibility that storytellers carry when creating narratives for a wide audience. While acknowledging the quality of several popular web series, he argued that meaningful inclusion remains an area where the industry has a long way to go.

Why TVF became part of the conversation

Speaking about TVF, Neeraj Ghaywan made it clear that his criticism stemmed from his appreciation of the platform's work rather than dislike.

He explained that the success and influence of its shows make questions of representation even more important.He said, “Take TVF, and they have been doing very good. And they have shows are genuinely very good. And that’s exactly why I have the problem. It’s made by IIT-ians, who are supposed to be the most educated lot in this country. And every single show of theirs, since inception, has always had upper-caste characters.

Not a single lower-caste person, not a single Muslim.”According to Neeraj Ghaywan, creators who shape widely watched stories have an opportunity to present a broader picture of Indian society.The filmmaker also argued that education should encourage creators to challenge established storytelling patterns instead of repeating them. He suggested that filmmakers with greater awareness should consciously examine whose stories are being represented on screen.He added, “Now, you, as this educated person, cannot take that responsibility. And, like, you know, if some old-timer makes a film, I get it. But, like, come on, try to understand this, you’re educated, right? You cleared IIT, didn’t you? You studied engineering for four years. So you should be able to understand that maybe it is not right to show it that way.”

Why 'Panchayat' became his example

While discussing the issue, Neeraj Ghaywan referred to 'Panchayat', one of India's most popular streaming series.

He questioned the perception that the show offers a completely authentic depiction of village life.He said, “That you call this celebrated TV show of yours, Panchayat, which everybody thinks is the most authentic representation of villages. No, it isn’t. You cannot create an entire village where only upper-caste names exist.”

About 'Panchayat'

Created by The Viral Fever (TVF), 'Panchayat' is a Hindi-language comedy-drama written by Chandan Kumar and directed by Deepak Kumar Mishra and

Akshat Vijaywargiya

. The series features Jitendra Kumar in the lead role, supported by Raghubir Yadav, Neena Gupta,

Chandan Roy

, Faisal Malik, Sanvikaa, Durgesh Kumar, Ashok Pathak, Sunita Rajwar, and Pankaj Jha.Set in the fictional village of Phulera in Uttar Pradesh, the series follows an engineering graduate who reluctantly becomes the secretary of a gram panchayat after struggling to find a better job. Over multiple seasons, Panchayat has received widespread praise for its humour, grounded storytelling, and memorable characters.