Witchcraft was first feminist movement in history: Ipsita

Ipsita Roy Chakraverti is feeling triumphant after the Bombay High Court cleared Sacred Evil for screening.

The film, inspired by Chakraverti's experience as a Wiccan, had run into trouble after Catholic bodies had filed a petition challenging its release. "This is not just my triumph, but that of millions of women, who have been persecuted for practicing witchcraft over the centuries," said Chakraverti on Thursday, a day before the film hits cinema halls across the country.

Sacred Evil is a supernatural thriller that revolves around a Kolkata convent, where a nun is possessed by an evil spirit and a witch is called to exorcise the spirit.

Chakraverti feels that the religious bodies raising objections were not against the film's content. "They were attacking me and my craft because there is a lot of misconception about Wicca and the women who practice it. I see it as a conspiracy against powerful women," she said.

Chakraverti said she has dedicated her life to demystifying witchcraft. "I hope the film will be a great step forward towards clearing the air over Wicca. I'm not advocating my craft to be a wonder cure, but I want people to realise that it is not as negative as it is perceived to be."

She plans to hold Wicca workshops in Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata soon. There is a Wiccan Academy in the pipeline too. "Witchcraft was the first feminist movement in history that organised religion tried to stifle. What most people don't realise is that Wicca is not offensive to any religion. It's just a way to separate the good from the evil inherent in all of us," she added.