Cast: Azinkya Mishra, Tryambak Shukla, Siddharth Swami, Ritu Dalmia, and Aditya Agnihotri

Director: Aditya Agnihotri

Rating: ****

A short film is a complex art form. Characterized by its brevity, it is not a lot of space in which the artist has to pack layers of storytelling. There`s a lot of short films out there- some bad, some good, but only a handful of great ones.

While writer-director Aditya Agnihotri`s `Democracy` isn`t great, but there`s no reason it shouldn`t be seen more or appreciated more. In a fair and balanced world, this film will be given its rightful due. You can tell the strength of the filmmaker`s genius with the way he picks his title. The title democracy is not just a straight forward one, it is a veneer under which it kills two birds with a stone.

Brothers Sonu (Azinkya Mishra) and Chintu (Tryambak Shukla) have been waiting for their summer holiday trip. It has turned monotonous, and these curious kids want to change things a bit. The night before the trip, their father (Siddharth Swami) decides to plan each and everything in democratic mannerism. Joining them in this democratic discussion is the Mother (Ritu Dalmia)Their sitdown leads to chaos and deception, as the children start to question their belief system and that of their parents.

The performances here feel truly authentic, all actors seem to enjoy their roles; benefitting from a crisp direction from director Aditya Agnihotri .The conversations are shot very meticulously, without them feeling like people talking in claustrophobic spaces. The writing is funny and the dialogues play out very well.

The only nitpicking one can think of is the slow-motion which somehow disrupts the otherwise smooth storytelling. The movie also risks giving its subtlety to some heavy propaganda talk, but other than it this short film is a pleasant viewing experience with a strong message underneath it.

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Democracy by far is one of the most honest slice-of-life comedies to come out recently, and we implore you to support Aditya Agnihotri!