Five Indian web shows that capture the warmth and chaos of small-town life

Homesickness often hits people who leave small towns to build careers in big cities, but several web series help bridge that gap by recreating rural and small-town atmospheres. Among them, Dupahiya stars Gajraj Rao and Sparsh Shrivastava and has recently released its second season.

Panchayat and Gullak

The Amazon Prime Video series Panchayat is set in the fictional village of Phulera and follows engineering graduate Abhishek Tripathi, played by Jitendra Kumar, who takes a government job as a panchayat secretary. Running for four seasons since its 2020 release, the show features characters like Pradhan Ji, played by Raghubir Yadav, Manju Devi, played by Neena Gupta, Prahlad, played by Faisal Malik, and Banrakas, played by Durgesh Kumar. Meanwhile, Gullak on Sony LIV explores a middle-class North Indian household through the Mishra family, consisting of Santosh, played by Jameel Khan, Shanti, played by Geetanjali Kulkarni, Annu, played by Vaibhav Raj Gupta, and Aman, played by Harsh Mayar, focusing on bittersweet family moments and everyday financial struggles.

Yeh Meri Family and Gram Chikitsalay

For a trip back to the 1990s, Yeh Meri Family on Prime Video centres on 12-year-old Harshal Gupta as he navigates school, friendships, and sibling rivalries in Jaipur. Another Prime Video series, Gram Chikitsalay, stars Amol Parashar as Dr Prabhat, a young doctor who moves to a village to work at a government health centre but faces local politics, a corrupt system, and an encroached clinic.

Ghar Waapsi

Ghar Waapsi streams on JioHotstar and follows Shekhar, played by Vishal Vashishtha, who returns to Indore after losing his job in Bengaluru. The story highlights the complex reality of moving back home, dealing with local scrutiny, and reconnecting with family and old friends.

Context

Streaming platforms have increasingly invested in stories rooted in non-metro Indian towns to appeal to a wider regional audience. These narratives often rely on familiar domestic settings and recognizable social dynamics to resonate with viewers living away from home.