NEW DELHI: In an exclusive conversation with the Execuitve editor of the The New Indian, Rohan Dua, actor Durgesh Kumar — who plays the viral character Binod aka Banrakas in the hit web series Panchayat — reflected on how his dialogues have become part of everyday speech and even corporate culture.
“When you look at it today, how proud do you feel that memes are being made about you?” asked journalist Rohan Dua. With a smile, Durgesh responded, “Most of the memes made on me are based on lines people use in daily conversation.”
The actor spoke about how dialogues from Panchayat, such as “Dekh raha hai Binod” and “Alua Meeting”, have seamlessly entered popular lingo. “Someone’s task may or may not be getting done, but they’re watching Binod to see how he’s doing it,” he joked, describing the viral nature of the meme.
Durgesh expressed genuine appreciation for how audiences have embraced his lines as part of their daily routines. “I like that—these lines have now become part of people’s everyday lives,” he said.
Surprisingly, the memes have also made their way into India’s corporate offices. Durgesh shared, “In the corporate world, ‘Alua Meeting’ has become very common. People say, ‘Let’s do meeting, meeting… Alua meeting.’ Many corporate folks have told me this.”
He noted how the memes also poke fun at how English is used to overcomplicate simple things in corporate settings: “Watching Binod—the way people twist conversations while speaking English,” he added with a laugh.
With this level of impact, it’s clear that Durgesh’s performance has transcended screen time. His dialogues now live in boardrooms, WhatsApp chats, and meme pages — turning a rural character into a pop culture icon.
As memes continue to blur the lines between entertainment and everyday discourse, actors like Durgesh Kumar are discovering an unexpected legacy — one line at a time.
