Panchayat Season 4: With 'Panchayat' gearing up for its fourth season on Prime Video, fans are once again looking forward to the return of one of the show’s most loved pairs - Durgesh Kumar as the outspoken Bhushan, and Ashok Pathak as his trusted sidekick, Vinod. Their quirky camaraderie and comic timing have made them scene-stealers across the past three seasons. But while their on-screen banter leaves viewers in splits, the journey that brought Durgesh Kumar to this point is anything but light-hearted. Durgesh, who has become a breakout presence in the acclaimed rural comedy-drama, has spent years building his place in the industry. But the road to recognition was anything but easy.
Behind the rising popularity lies a story of years of hustle, heartbreak, rejection, and an unflinching will to survive.
Durgesh Kumar suffered depression twice in 11 years
Last year in an interview with Lallantop, Durgesh spoke about the emotional toll of trying to make it in an unforgiving industry. He didn’t mince words when speaking about the psychological toll acting took on him. “You need to be prepared psychologically, physically, mentally, emotionally and economically to be an actor. I have suffered depression twice in 11 years. Unless you are not psychologically, economically, and mentally healthy, please don’t come in the acting field. I am being brutally honest about it,” he said.
"This place is filled with crazy people"
Having studied at the prestigious National School of Drama, where his seniors included stalwarts like Manoj Bajpayee and Pankaj Tripathi, he’s seen firsthand how talent doesn’t always guarantee success.
“This is no place to try. This place is filled with crazy people. All the successful people you see today, including Manoj Bajpayee and Pankaj Tripahti, who were my seniors at the National School of Drama or even Nawazuddin Siddiqui, they are all half crazy people, nobody discloses this,” he shared.
Durgesh recounted stories of peers who never made it despite immense potential. “Alone Pankaj Tripathi’s batch had 20 people. All of them equally talented, but do you see them anywhere? Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s batch had around 30 people, other than Nawazuddin, the only person who made his name in the industry is Nirmal Das, who got a role in Sarfarosh. Later, that man went crazy and is dead today. Nobody is aware of it. Do you see the struggle here? You really need to be mentally strong. If you are not, I request you, please never come to Bombay,” said the actor.
When Durgest fell on casting directors' feet to cast him
Despite appearing in films like Highway, Sultan, and Freaky Ali, Durgesh struggled to land consistent work. Recalling his early days in Mumbai, he spoke of the desperation and relentless hustle it took to even get noticed.
When he moved to Versova on May 28, 2016, with fellow actors from Madhya Pradesh Drama School, Aram Nagar became their hunting ground for auditions. “I fell on their feet to cast me in some role. All this, after having done Highway, Freaky Ali, and Sultan,” he admitted.
Some of his peers ridiculed him for being too eager. But for Durgesh, pride took a backseat to purpose. “I said, ‘at any cost, I want to crack this.’ This is the kind of struggle and dedication it takes to survive in the industry,” he added. From standing in lines for minor roles to enduring the sting of rejection, Durgesh pressed on.
From a 2.5-hour shoot in Panchayat to a fan-favourite role
His breakthrough as Bhushan in Panchayat began humbly—with just a one-day shoot in Season 1. “I just had one day’s role in Panchayat season 1. I shot for just 2.5 hours. I am really thankful to Chandan Kumar and Deepak Kumar Mishra who wrote the ‘Banrakas’ role. I am glad. I am not Irrfan, Nawazuddin, I am an average actor with survival instinct in me,” he said.
Today, Durgesh’s portrayal of the sly and outspoken Bhushan has earned him widespread recognition. In 'Panchayat', Durgesh finally found his moment.
