Witches do not exist: Agnidahan message

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Nov. 19: Agnidahan is set to be released across the country on Friday. In the pretext of the film release, the film unit held an interaction programme with journalists and media persons to share details about the film in Kathmandu on Monday. 

 The film is based on the novel Agnidahan by writer and journalist Lokmani Paudel.

The film’s presenter and conceptualiser  Kovidsharan Upadhyay, said that they made the film to help eradicate the practice of accusing women of witchcraft.

 “We made the film to convey the message that witches do not exist in society. Incidents of women being victimised accusing them of practising witchcraft continue to surface. Through this film, we aim to spread the message that there is no such thing as witches, and women should not be subjected to atrocities under this pretext,” said Upadhyay. 

Actress Pramila Tulachan, who plays the role of ‘Maili Damini’, a woman accused of witchcraft, said that she had visited squatter settlements to study her character. 

“The character I portrayed was very challenging. Observing how society mistreats poor, vulnerable women, how single women are harassed, and the stigma imposed on helpless women, I tried to bring all these elements to life on screen,” said the actress. 

Another actress, Tulsi Kshetri, said the unbearable torture women accused of witchcraft endure at the hands of shamans is reflected in the movie.  

Director Ghanshyam Lamichhane said that the film was not made for commercial purposes. “We made this film to promote the idea nationwide that no one is a witch and to advance this as a campaign,” he said

The film features Prakash Ghimire, Pramila Tulachan, Maotse Gurung, Anupama Bhandari, Tulsi Kshetri, Bishnu Bastola and Tara Bahadur Gurung.

 The story, screenplay, and dialogues of the movie are of Lok Mani Paudel while the concept is of Kovidsharan Upadhyay. Parichhed Sen is the assistant director Dirgha Gurung is the cinematography director and Dirgha Khadka is the editor. 

 The film has already been watched by Nepal’s former President Bidya Devi Bhandari, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, and former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’.

 It has also received the ‘Special Film Award’ from the Nepal Film Development Board.