Director Sudipto Sen Talks About His Film ‘Charak’: Fair of Faith, Exploring The Dark Side Of Superstition

February 10, 2025: Renowned filmmaker Sudipto Sen, known for his bold and socially relevant films like The Kerala Story and Bastar: The Naxal Story, is back with his latest project, Charak: Fair of Faith. Sen explained how the film challenges the notions of faith and superstition, highlighting the dangers of blind belief.

Sen shared his perspective, saying, “Faith is such a thing which forces a common man to do unusual work. It leads to creation as well as destruction at certain times. For me, faith is a dangerous business as it takes us away from logic and makes us victims of faith. Humne is film mein Vishwas word ko question kiya hai.” (In this film, we question the word ‘faith’.)

The film explores the Charak Mela, a traditional fair celebrated in West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, and Odisha during Chaitra Sankranti, to honor Maa Kali and Lord Shiva. The director explained that this is a Tantrik festival, which in the past involved human sacrifices as part of its rituals. While human sacrifice was banned legally, Sen revealed that disturbing reports from the past 15 years show that children are still being sacrificed in rural and backward areas, all in the name of faith.

“It is time to talk about superstition, and that is what this film is about,” Sen stated, acknowledging the dark side of faith-driven practices. He emphasized that cinema should not only entertain but also educate and inspire social change. The director is taking the film to the Berlin International Film Festival, hoping to reach a global audience and see how people from different cultures respond to the themes the film raises.

The cast of Charak: Fair of Faith includes talented actors such as Anjali Patil, Sahidur Rahaman, Subrat Dutta, Shashi Bhushan, and others, with the film directed by Shieladitya Moulik and produced by Sudipto Sen.

Sen’s work continues to make waves by addressing critical social issues and challenging deeply rooted beliefs, hoping to spark conversation and change through cinema.

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Story: Renowned filmmaker Sudipto Sen, known for his bold and socially relevant films like The Kerala Story and Bastar: The Naxal Story, is back with his latest project, Charak: Fair of Faith. In an insightful conversation with ANI, Sen explained how the film challenges the notions of faith and superstition, highlighting the dangers of blind belief.

Sen shared his perspective, saying, “Faith is such a thing which forces a common man to do unusual work. It leads to creation as well as destruction at certain times. For me, faith is a dangerous business as it takes us away from logic and makes us victims of faith. Humne is film mein Vishwas word ko question kiya hai.” (In this film, we question the word ‘faith’.)

The film explores the Charak Mela, a traditional fair celebrated in West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, and Odisha during Chaitra Sankranti, to honor Maa Kali and Lord Shiva. The director explained that this is a Tantrik festival, which in the past involved human sacrifices as part of its rituals. While human sacrifice was banned legally, Sen revealed that disturbing reports from the past 15 years show that children are still being sacrificed in rural and backward areas, all in the name of faith.

“It is time to talk about superstition, and that is what this film is about,” Sen stated, acknowledging the dark side of faith-driven practices. He emphasized that cinema should not only entertain but also educate and inspire social change. The director is taking the film to the Berlin International Film Festival, hoping to reach a global audience and see how people from different cultures respond to the themes the film raises.

The cast of Charak: Fair of Faith includes talented actors such as Anjali Patil, Sahidur Rahaman, Subrat Dutta, Shashi Bhushan, and others, with the film directed by Shieladitya Moulik and produced by Sudipto Sen.

Sen’s work continues to make waves by addressing critical social issues and challenging deeply rooted beliefs, hoping to spark conversation and change through cinema.