Agnidahan highlights witchcraft accusations in Nepal

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Nov. 8: Witchcraft accusations persist in Nepali society, often leading to horrific incidents of physical abuse and forced excrement consumption. 

The upcoming film Agnidahan, set to release nationwide on November 22, sheds light on the mistreatment of women under accusations 

of witchcraft. 

At a press conference held in Pokhara on Thursday, the film’s team urged audiences to help eradicate harmful beliefs surrounding witchcraft in society.

 Kobid Sharan Upadhyaya, the film’s presenter, said that no human being is a witch, emphasising that the film serves as an initiative to dispel false beliefs about witchcraft.

Upadhyay shared his personal experience, recalling a disturbing incident in 2011, when he witnessed a woman being brutally beaten and forced to consume excrement for allegedly practising witchcraft.

 He reflected, “If that woman were my mother or sister, what would I do?” 

This experience motivated him to create the film as part of his mission to eliminate witchcraft accusations 

from society.  He first addressed this issue in a book and later through a song to raise awareness about these harmful beliefs.

To reach a broader audience, the film has been dubbed in Maithili, Bhojpuri and Hindi. According to Upadhyay, Agnidahan is primarily an educational film aimed at raising awareness, rather than just a source of entertainment.

Director Ghanashyam Lamichhane said that the film reflects the lives of ordinary people. 

Actor Prakash Ghimire expressed gratitude for being part of a film that seeks to promote societal change. 

The cast includes many artistes from Pokhara, including  Prakash Ghimire, Maotse Gurung, Pramila Tulachan, Anupama Bhandari, Tulasi Chhetri, Tara Bahadur Gurung, Bishnu Bastola, Sarala Kumari Pandey, Bijay Rai, Laxman Dhungana, Prasina Acharya, Dr. Nirmal Lamichhane, Dr. Daman and Arjun Neupane. 

The film is based on a novel by journalist Lokmani Poudel, also 

titled Agnidahan.