Liked Dupahiya 2? Here are 5 heartwarming shows on OTT that capture the magic of small-town India

For those whose lives get busy in the chaos of a new city, here are five web shows that can make you feel like you’re back home.

For those who leave behind the comfort and familiarity of their small towns to build a life in the big city, homesickness can become a constant companion. The occasional trip back home offers some respite, but when life gets busy in the chaos of a new city, there are a few shows that can make you feel like you’re back home. Shows that you may have already watched but keep returning to because they bring back the warmth, people and little moments that you miss.

Panchayat and Gullak are streaming on Prime Video and Sony LIV, respectively.

Gajraj Rao and Sparsh Shrivastava-starrer Dupahiya is one such show. With its second season recently released, the show once again brings the calm, charm and chaos of small-town life to the screen. If you’re always on the lookout for such shows, we have a list of five web shows that capture the magic of small-town India.

Panchayat

During the first Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, one show that made strangers in a big city feel right at home was Panchayat. Set in the fictional village of Phulera, the series follows Abhishek Tripathi (Jitendra Kumar), an engineering graduate who reluctantly takes up a government job as the village panchayat secretary. What begins as a frustrating posting slowly turns into an unexpectedly warm relationship with the people of Phulera. From Pradhan Ji (Raghubir Yadav) and Manju Devi (Neena Gupta) to Prahlad (Faisal Malik) and Banrakas (Durgesh Kumar), the show’s characters bring the wit, warmth and straight-talking charm that make small-town India so familiar.

The show quickly gained popularity after its release in 2020 and, with four seasons now out, has become one of the biggest shows on OTT. You can watch it on Amazon Prime Video.

Gullak

If Panchayat reminds you of the people and politics of a small town, Gullak takes you straight into the middle of a middle-class Indian household. Set in a fictional North Indian town, the series revolves around the Mishra family — Santosh (Jameel Khan), Shanti (Geetanjali Kulkarni), Annu (Vaibhav Raj Gupta) and Aman (Harsh Mayar).

As the show famously proves, Gullak isn't really a story about a family, but about the bittersweet episodes of family life. It finds humour in everyday moments -- sibling fights, parents worrying about their children and arguments over the smallest things -- while also touching upon tougher issues such as financial struggles, neighbourhood gossip and the tiny disagreements that somehow become major household events. You can watch the show on Sony LIV.

Yeh Meri Family

For anyone who grew up in the 1990s, Yeh Meri Family can feel like a trip down memory lane. Set in Jaipur in 1998, the series follows 12-year-old Harshal Gupta and his family as they navigate school, friendships, sibling rivalries and the everyday drama of growing up. Since the show is centred on Harshal, it also captures the biggest ‘crises’ of his life -- from playing outside with friends and fighting with his siblings over the television remote to planning summer holidays.

You can watch it on Prime Video.

Gram Chikitsalay

Gram Chikitsalay takes the small-town and rural setting and places a young doctor at the centre of it. The series follows Dr Prabhat (Amol Parashar), who arrives in a village with the intention of working at a government health centre but soon finds himself struggling with the realities of rural healthcare — an encroached government clinic, set-in-their-ways villagers, a corrupt system and local politics.

The show explores the clash between idealism and ground realities while also bringing plenty of humour and warmth to the story. You can watch it on Prime Video.

Ghar Waapsi

The title itself says it all. Ghar Waapsi follows Shekhar (Vishal Vashishtha), a young man who returns to his hometown, Indore, after losing his job in Bengaluru. What initially feels like a setback slowly becomes an opportunity for him to reconnect with his family, old friends and the life he had left behind.

The show doesn't paint returning home as a pretty picture, but as a hard reality for those who face scrutiny after coming back. At the same time, Shekhar finds comfort in the familiarity of his birthplace and the people he had left behind. Ghar Waapsi captures that complicated feeling with warmth and honesty.

You can watch the show on JioHotstar.