Kathmandu: The upcoming film Agnidahan, set to release this Friday, engaged with journalists and media professionals on Monday to provide insights into the movie. Based on the novel Agnidahan by renowned writer and journalist Lokmani Paudel, the film aims to shed light on the issue of witchcraft allegations and their impact on women.
Kovidsharan Upadhyay, the film’s presenter and concept creator, explained that their motivation behind creating Agnidahan was to contribute to the eradication of the witchcraft practice. “We made this film to convey the message that witches do not exist. Despite modern advancements, incidents of women being accused and tortured under the guise of witchcraft continue to surface. Through this film, we want to send a clear message that witchcraft is not real, and no woman should be subjected to such violence,” he said.
Actress Pramila Tulachan, who portrays the character of Maili Damini, a woman accused of being a witch, shared her experience of preparing for the role by visiting squatter settlements. “The character I played was extremely challenging. Witnessing how society treats poor and vulnerable women, the harassment they endure, and the stigma attached to single women inspired me to bring this story to life,” she said.
Another actress, Tulsi Kshetri, highlighted the painful reality faced by women accused of witchcraft. “There is a scene in the film where my character is branded with hot iron by a shaman. The wound from filming that scene lasted until the next day, making me think about the unbearable suffering those real women must have experienced,” she recounted.
Director Ghanshyam Lamichhane emphasized that the film was not made with a commercial objective. “We created this film as part of a nationwide campaign to spread the belief that no human being is a witch,” he said.
The cast of Agnidahan includes Prakash Ghimire, Pramila Tulachan, Mao Tse Gurung, Anupama Bhandari, Tulsi Kshetri, Bishnu Bastola, and Tara Bahadur Gurung. The film features Lokmani Paudel’s story, screenplay, and dialogues, with Kovidsharan Upadhyay’s concept, Parichhed Sen’s assistant direction, Dirgha Gurung’s cinematography, Dirgha Khadka’s editing, and Shankar Pandey’s production design.
Earlier, the film was showcased in Sitamarhi, Bihar, at the Commandant Office of SSB-20th Battalion, attended by Battalion Chief Girishchandra Pandey and members of the production team.
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. The Nepal Film Development Board has also honored Agnidahan with a “Special Film Award.”
