Exclusive: Panchayat's Binod shares inside story of PM Modi meet and his viral post
Panchayat actor Ashok Pathak recently met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an event in New Delhi, where the PM greeted him with a playful reference to his popular character, Binod. In an exclusive conversation, the actor recalled their interaction and revealed what Modi said to him.
For actor Ashok Pathak, the man India knows as Binod from Panchayat, the past few days have felt surreal. Not only did the actor get an opportunity to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, he also found himself featuring in a video shared by the Prime Minister on social media - a moment that quickly sent his phone into overdrive.
Speaking exclusively to India Today, Ashok said congratulations have been pouring in ever since the meeting, describing the interaction and the subsequent social media spotlight as one of the proudest moments of his life. The actor, whose portrayal of Binod has earned him a loyal fan following, admitted he was still processing the scale of the response after appearing in a post shared by the Prime Minister himself.
PM Modi had shared the video of his interaction on Instagram and wrote, “(Some talks with Binod).”
"For any Indian, it is a huge honour when the Prime Minister wants to meet you and appreciates your work. The fact that he met us so warmly, and later shared the video himself, felt very special. As an actor, it is gratifying to know that your work has reached people and touched their hearts. Audiences have showered Panchayat with so much love, and to see that reflected at this level was truly overwhelming," he said, his excitement evident during a phone conversation with us on Wednesday morning.
While the video delighted fans, many were curious about what exactly PM Modi spoke to Pathak and his co-star Durgesh Kumar, who plays Bhushan in Panchayat, and was present with him at the time.
Recalling the interaction, Ashok shared that the meeting was brief due to the Prime Minister's packed schedule. However, the moment Modi met them, he broke the ice with a smile and said, "Sun raha hai na Binod?" (Are you listening Binod)?, a playful reference to Ashok's popular character from the show. The remark left everyone in splits before they posed for a photo session together.
The actor further revealed that the interaction may have been short, but it was memorable enough to stay with him for a long time. Following the event, Ashok and the rest of the team boarded a private jet to continue with their commitments. Not just Ashok, the meeting was special for his family back in his hometown in Bihar.
"I come from a small village, and when my father heard that I had been invited to meet the Prime Minister, he was on cloud nine. For my family, it was an incredibly proud moment. They never imagined something like this would happen," he said.
Other than PM Modi, the actor met actor Ram Charan and his wife Upasana Konidela. More than meeting the actor, he was delighted to find out how the two were big-time fans of the series and his work in the same.
"I also met Ram Charan and Upasana ji, and both of them told me how much they loved Panchayat. That made the experience even more memorable. It felt like the appreciation for the show was coming from all directions. Interestingly, not many would know that I have actually dubbed the Hindi dialogues for a character named Kurmaiya in his film Peddi," he recalled.
More about Durgesh Kumar and Ashok Pathak
Bhushan, often nicknamed ‘Banrakas’, and Binod are among the breakout characters from Panchayat. They began as supporting antagonists in the village of Phulera, but their comic timing and distinct personalities have made them fan favourites over the course of four seasons.
Durgesh Kumar, an alumnus of the National School of Drama, found his breakthrough role with Imtiaz Ali’s Highway in 2014. He has since appeared in films, including Sultan, Sanju, Dhadak and Bhakshak. In Panchayat, he started as a supporting character before moving into the main cast by season 3.
For actor Ashok Pathak, the man India knows as Binod from Panchayat, the past few days have felt surreal. Not only did the actor get an opportunity to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, he also found himself featuring in a video shared by the Prime Minister on social media - a moment that quickly sent his phone into overdrive.
Speaking exclusively to India Today, Ashok said congratulations have been pouring in ever since the meeting, describing the interaction and the subsequent social media spotlight as one of the proudest moments of his life. The actor, whose portrayal of Binod has earned him a loyal fan following, admitted he was still processing the scale of the response after appearing in a post shared by the Prime Minister himself.
PM Modi had shared the video of his interaction on Instagram and wrote, “(Some talks with Binod).”
"For any Indian, it is a huge honour when the Prime Minister wants to meet you and appreciates your work. The fact that he met us so warmly, and later shared the video himself, felt very special. As an actor, it is gratifying to know that your work has reached people and touched their hearts. Audiences have showered Panchayat with so much love, and to see that reflected at this level was truly overwhelming," he said, his excitement evident during a phone conversation with us on Wednesday morning.
While the video delighted fans, many were curious about what exactly PM Modi spoke to Pathak and his co-star Durgesh Kumar, who plays Bhushan in Panchayat, and was present with him at the time.
Recalling the interaction, Ashok shared that the meeting was brief due to the Prime Minister's packed schedule. However, the moment Modi met them, he broke the ice with a smile and said, "Sun raha hai na Binod?" (Are you listening Binod)?, a playful reference to Ashok's popular character from the show. The remark left everyone in splits before they posed for a photo session together.
The actor further revealed that the interaction may have been short, but it was memorable enough to stay with him for a long time. Following the event, Ashok and the rest of the team boarded a private jet to continue with their commitments. Not just Ashok, the meeting was special for his family back in his hometown in Bihar.
"I come from a small village, and when my father heard that I had been invited to meet the Prime Minister, he was on cloud nine. For my family, it was an incredibly proud moment. They never imagined something like this would happen," he said.
Other than PM Modi, the actor met actor Ram Charan and his wife Upasana Konidela. More than meeting the actor, he was delighted to find out how the two were big-time fans of the series and his work in the same.
"I also met Ram Charan and Upasana ji, and both of them told me how much they loved Panchayat. That made the experience even more memorable. It felt like the appreciation for the show was coming from all directions. Interestingly, not many would know that I have actually dubbed the Hindi dialogues for a character named Kurmaiya in his film Peddi," he recalled.
More about Durgesh Kumar and Ashok Pathak
Bhushan, often nicknamed ‘Banrakas’, and Binod are among the breakout characters from Panchayat. They began as supporting antagonists in the village of Phulera, but their comic timing and distinct personalities have made them fan favourites over the course of four seasons.
Durgesh Kumar, an alumnus of the National School of Drama, found his breakthrough role with Imtiaz Ali’s Highway in 2014. He has since appeared in films, including Sultan, Sanju, Dhadak and Bhakshak. In Panchayat, he started as a supporting character before moving into the main cast by season 3.
