From Phulera to Bhatkandi: Banrakas joins Gram Chikitsalay amid plagiarism controversy

After the resounding success of Panchayat, The Viral Fever (TVF) is back with a new comedy-drama series titled Gram Chikitsalay. Set to premiere on May 9 on Prime Video, the show promises to carry forward TVF's signature blend of humor and rural storytelling.

What has caught fans' attention is the crossover-like appearance of Banrakas—aka Bhushan—from Panchayat, in a surprise promotional video teasing the new series.

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Banrakas Meets Dr. Prabhat

In a special promo released ahead of the show’s launch, Banrakas (played by Durgesh Kumar) is seen arriving in Bhatkandi to announce upcoming elections in Phulera. He soon finds himself in the village’s health center, now staffed by a young and idealistic Dr. Prabhat (played by Amol Parashar).

Phutani, a local, brings Banrakas to the doctor, hoping he’ll become the first patient. But in classic Banrakas style, he complains not of illness, but of political woes: ‘Phulera mein chunaav hai aur humko vote nahi mil raha hai’. The hilarious exchange sets the tone for the show’s rural absurdity and charm.

The promo reveals the chaotic state of the clinic—rats have chewed through the blood pressure machine, jackals have destroyed the stethoscope, and the medicines have mysteriously disappeared. Banrakas humorously quips whether it’s a clinic or a canteen and sarcastically states that if he were village chief, he’d have sent the doctor home.

A Familiar Formula with a New Setting

Like Panchayat, Gram Chikitsalay features a city-bred protagonist—this time a doctor—transplanted into rural life, where he must navigate quirky characters, poor infrastructure, and local politics. The show is helmed by Rahul Pandey and created by Deepak Kumar Mishra, with writing by Vaibhav Suman and Shreya Shrivastava. It stars Amol Parashar, Vinay Pathak, Akansha Ranjan Kapoor, and others.

Cross-Series Hints: Panchayat x Gram Chikitsalay?

While TVF has not officially confirmed a crossover between Panchayat and Gram Chikitsalay, Banrakas’ cameo strongly hints at shared continuity. Fans have welcomed the idea, excited by the potential of interwoven stories across the fictional villages of Phulera and Bhatkandi.

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Plagiarism Allegation Clouds Launch

Just days before the show’s release, Gram Chikitsalay has come under scrutiny after filmmaker Anindyabikas Datta accused actor Vinay Pathak and the makers of plagiarizing his original script Quack Shankar. Datta, a registered member of the Screenwriters Association (SWA), shared that he had pitched the script to Pathak in 2021, who initially showed interest but never followed up.

In a detailed Facebook post, Datta claims the plot and characters of Gram Chikitsalay closely resemble his registered script (Ref. No. 1607055694, Dated 04/12/2020). He even posted screenshots of past communication with Pathak to support his claim.

Stating that his project is still in pre-production, Datta expressed dismay over the apparent similarities and called for urgent action to protect his intellectual property rights. As of now, neither Vinay Pathak nor the TVF team has issued an official response.