Abhinav Thakur Brings Focus to Bihar’s Social Issues with Upcoming Film ‘Bisahi’ on Witchcraft

Patna: Abhinav Thakur, a filmmaker from Begusarai, Bihar, is once again in the spotlight with his new film Bisahi. Known for his previous work Lipstick Boy, which highlighted the folk dance form Launda Naach and featured narration by Amitabh Bachchan, Abhinav is continuing to tell stories rooted in Bihar’s culture and societal issues. His latest film Bisahi addresses the witchcraft practices still prevalent in parts of Bihar. Scheduled for release by the end of this year, the film sheds light on a pressing issue often ignored.

Bisahi is based on the inhumane practice of branding women as witches, often leading to their torture or death. Abhinav Thakur revealed in a conversation with Bhaskar that he spent three years researching for the film. He traces the origins of witchcraft from Latur, Maharashtra, before it spread to Assam, Nagaland, Jharkhand, and Bihar, particularly among tribal communities. The movie, shot in Gujarat, Mumbai, and Rajasthan, is a 1-hour 45-minute feature and seeks to depict the dark realities of witchcraft accusations.

Thakur emphasized that while witchcraft is often seen as folklore, the consequences for women accused of being witches are brutal and real. Through Bisahi, he aims to bring awareness to these atrocities, hoping to inspire change and conversation around the topic.

In addition to Bisahi, Abhinav Thakur has several other projects in the pipeline. One of them, Legal Baba, is a lighthearted film with a social message. It revolves around a tea seller and the various conversations that unfold at a tea shop, touching on themes like family disintegration and political issues. The 2-hour 15-minute film has been shot primarily in Mumbai, with portions filmed in Bihar Sharif. It humorously explores how people gather at tea shops to solve everyday problems and share opinions on national matters.

Another significant project in the works is based on the famous Bobby scandal, a political murder case from 1983 that shook Bihar. Thakur has done extensive research, collecting newspaper clippings and medical reports related to the case. The victim, Shweta Nisha Trivedi, known as Bobby, was a typist in the Bihar Legislative Assembly and the adopted daughter of a prominent Congress leader. Her mysterious death by poisoning led to widespread speculation, and Thakur plans to bring this long-forgotten story to the big screen. He aims to release the film around 2025-26.

Abhinav Thakur’s journey from his humble beginnings in Begusarai, Bihar, to the film industry has been one of perseverance and passion. After losing his mother at a young age and later moving to Mumbai, he pursued his dream of filmmaking. Inspired by directors like Anurag Kashyap and Imtiaz Ali, Thakur dropped out of his MBA program to study film. His early work includes the short film Ramkali, which gained popularity and opened doors for him, leading to collaborations with Radio Mirchi and his first feature film, Suhaagraat Impossible in 2019.

His most notable work to date, Lipstick Boy, focused on the folk tradition of Launda Naach in Bihar, highlighting the struggles of performers in the present day. This film earned him an award from the Bihar government in 2023 and established him as a filmmaker dedicated to telling unique, socially relevant stories.

With Bisahi, Legal Baba, and the Bobby scandal film on the horizon, Abhinav Thakur is cementing his position as a filmmaker who not only entertains but also raises awareness about crucial societal issues. He continues to bring attention to Bihar’s unique stories and challenges, contributing to the prestige of the state in Indian cinema.