This Low-budget Show, With No Star Power, Is The Most Watched Web Series Of 2024

OTT platforms have gradually become the biggest source of digital entertainment. The OTT sector enjoyed a major boom during the coronavirus pandemic when the closure of theatres and seclusion at home resulted in people turning to OTT platforms for entertainment. Now, there are direct to OTT film releases and big filmmakers and actors have taken to web series like the recent Netflix series Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar.

The year 2024 has been exceptional for Indian web content. The record for the largest and most costly web series produced in India has been surpassed twice, with shows on two separate platforms. Additionally, there have been numerous high-profile series featuring Bollywood celebrities. However, in terms of viewership, these grand productions have been eclipsed by a simple, starless slice-of-life comedy.

According to a report from Ormax Media, Panchayat has been the most-watched Indian web series on OTT in the first half of 2024. The third season of the series, which premiered on Amazon Prime Video earlier this year, attracted 28.2 million viewers, according to Ormax. It outperformed Netflix’s Heeramandi, which secured the second position with 20.3 million viewers.

Heeramandi, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, is the most expensive Indian web series, reportedly costing over Rs 250 crore and featuring a star-studded cast of Bollywood actresses. The show that Heeramandi dethroned – Indian Police Force – ranked third with 19.5 million viewers. Meanwhile, Bigg Boss OTT 3 emerged as the most-watched non-fiction show on OTT, with 17.8 million viewers according to Ormax.

Panchayat features Jitendra Kumar in the lead role, supported by veteran actors Neena Gupta and Raghubir Yadav, alongside Chandan Roy, Sanvikaa, Faisal Malik, Durgesh Kumar, and Pankaj Jha. While these actors are recognised in the industry, none of them possess the star power typically associated with bigger shows. For example, Heeramandi and the Indian Police Force are helmed by star directors Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Rohit Shetty, respectively. Showtime stars Emraan Hashmi, while The Night Manager features Anil Kapoor and Aditya Roy Kapur. Despite lacking such star power, Panchayat outperformed these shows.

Panchayat season 3 reportedly had a budget of Rs 20-30 crore, significantly lower than the Rs 200+ crore budgets of some of the more high-profile productions. Panchayat Season 3 has been widely praised for its compelling plot and presentation, and it has been celebrated as one of the rare shows that has successfully maintained its quality into its third season.