Five powerful stories that decode the varied nuances of democracy

India has the distinction of being the largest democracy in the world where power is vested in the people and exercised by them through their elected representatives. A democracy is rooted in the tenets of social and economic equity and it also affords its citizens the freedom to ask questions. On International Day of Democracy, watch five powerful stories that probe the true meaning of democratic freedom.

An overview

Article 15

Named after ‘Article 15’ of the Constitution of India, which prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or birthplace, this Anubhav Sinha directorial draws our attention to caste-based atrocities, especially against women in rural belts. We see the aftermath of a brutal gender crime against three girls through the gaze of an idealistic IPS officer, Ayan Ranjan. He is also forced to confront his own caste privilege and how even social and legal justice is defined by caste politics. The film asks if all citizens have equal access to the rights enshrined in our Constitution. It stars Ayushmann Khurrana, Manoj Pahwa, Kumud Mishra, Isha Talwar and Sayani Gupta. Watch it on Netflix.

Court Martial

Playwright Swadesh Deepak's acclaimed 1991 play 'Court Martial' was a precursor to films like 'A Few Good Men' and 'Shaurya' and explored the imbalance of power in the armed forces. The story begins when Sawar Ramchandra, a low-ranking soldier inexplicably shoots down two senior officers. A Court Martial ensues but when defence lawyer Vikas Roy begins to probe deeper, a shocking story of extreme persecution emerges. The question then emerges, can punishing one individual rectify systematic oppression? Directed by Sourabh Shrivastava and Karwarkar Bhavika, the Zee Theatre teleplay stars Rajeev Khandelwal, Saksham Dayma and Swapnill Kotriwar. Watch it on September 11th on Airtel Spotlight, Dish TV Rangmanch Active, and D2H Rangmanch Active.

Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai

‘Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai’ is inspired by the real-life struggles of an idealistic session court lawyer to secure justice for a minor. The courtroom drama has been widely praised for its realistic portrayal of legal challenges in the face of social inequities. Director Apoorv Singh Karki captures intense court proceedings in a gripping narrative that has been widely praised. Manoj Bajpayee portrays Advocate P C Solanki with great flair, supported by commendable performances from Adrija Sinha, Surya Mohan Kulshreshtha, Nikhil Pandey, Priyanka Setia, Jai Hind Kumar, Durga Sharma and Vipin Sharma. This thriller is available on Zee5.

Joram

This socio-political film discusses tribal land rights and the manner in which indigenous communities are losing their forests to development. Directed by Devashish Makhija, the movie follows Dasru who is on the run with his baby daughter in his arms, after being accused of murdering his wife. His journey from an idyllic past in the forests of Jharkhand to a construction site in Mumbai is steeped in heartbreak and the unimaginable pain of displacement. The film forces us to ask if marginalised Indians are ever treated like equal citizens of a democratic country. Starring Manoj Bajpayee, Tannishtha Chatterjee, and Smita Tambe, 'Joram' is available on Amazon Prime.

Newton

Amit V. Masurkar's black comedy shows us how an upright government clerk oversees elections in a conflict-ridden Chhattisgarh belt despite acute apathy, corruption, interference from various sections and threats of violence. The film articulates that democracy is not just a word but a privilege we must protect individually and together. It sheds light on the ignorance that prevails in underserved areas regarding elections and also suggests that a democracy can survive only when every citizen decides to stand up for what is right. Starring Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi, Anjali Patil and Raghubir Yadav, 'Newton' is available on Amazon Prime.