A 20-minute film, “Phulera Ka Panchayati Raj — Asli Pradhan Kaun?” is going viral across social platforms. Starring popular actors Neena Gupta and Raghuvir Yadav, the film, released on March 4 to coincide with International Women’s Day, has already garnered more than 28.30 lakh views and has climbed the popularity charts on YouTube.
The film — a hard-hitting commentary on the practice of “Pradhan Pati”— wherein elected women pradhans are reduced to rubber stamps and their husbands take over the role – has been made by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj. It is part of an awareness campaign to eliminate proxy representation in gram panchayats and empower women in rural governance.
The film’s reception shows the wide public interest in rural governance, said Ministry officials. There are 13.79 lakh women representatives in 2.55 lakh gram panchayats in the country, according to official data of the Ministry.
In 2023, a Ministry appointed committee suggested penal measures to curb the practice of holding back women from realising their potential.
The digital video’s launch coincided with the Ministry rolling out “Sashakt Panchayat Netri Abhiyan” at Vigyan Bhavan, with over 1200 elected women representatives of Panchayati Raj institutions from across the country in attendance.
Speaking to businessline, Vivek Bhardwaj, Secretary Ministry of Panchayati Raj, said, “We decided to initiate a capacity building programme for women encouraged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s belief in Nari Shakti. The digital initiative, Asli Pradhan Kaun? – seeks to end Sarpanch Pati culture that undermines the constitutionally mandated women’s representation in Panchayati Raj institutions.”
Created within the universe of the comedy drama Panchayat, a highly popular web series created by The Viral Fever (TVF), Asli Pradhan Kaun made by the same production house also takes the same humorous route. It also features actors Chandan Roy and Faisal Malik.
In the film, Neena Gupta plays Manju Devi, a Pradhan in the fictional village of Phulera, who manages to solve some of the problems of the villagers, when her husband goes out of town. “Pradhan pati ko permanent chutti par bhej dena chahiye (Proxy leader should be removed permanently),” roars a villager in the short film echoing the social drive the government has committed to.
The film comes at a time when the Parliament has passed a bill granting one-third reservation to women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies.