Yagna is a gripping, layered drama that dares to ask uncomfortable questions about faith, sacrifice, and the price we pay for collective beliefs. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Prakash Varma, this film explores the thin line between ritual and obsession, devotion and destruction.
Set in a remote village surrounded by dense forests, Yagna opens with a chilling prologue: an ancient ritual that demands an annual sacrifice to appease the village deity, believed to guard the land from drought and disease. The story jumps to the present day, where the village, though outwardly modernizing, still clings to its centuries-old fear.
The protagonist, Devdatta (played by Manoj Bajpayee), is a rational-minded school principal who returns to his native village after decades. He comes back to care for his ailing mother and soon finds himself drawn into the village's biggest secret - the Yagna. What begins as curiosity turns into a battle of conscience as Devdatta tries to stop the ritual that he believes has no place in the modern world.
Manoj Bajpayee is outstanding as Devdatta. His performance is a masterclass in subtlety - the conflict in his eyes as he faces the village elders, the helplessness as he tries to reason with superstition, and the raw anger when he realizes the cost of silence. His scenes with his mother (brilliantly portrayed by Surekha Sikri in her final screen role) are heart-wrenching and give the story its emotional anchor.
The supporting cast is equally strong. Vineet Kumar Singh plays Bhairav, the stoic village priest torn between duty and doubt. His restrained performance adds layers to what could have been a stereotypical character. Radhika Madan, as Devdatta's niece, brings youthful defiance and innocence to a grim world.