Private Project

The Divine Doctor

The documentary film is about a toxicological emergency at a hospital in Western Odisha, India, where around 200 fatal cases had been reported in a short span. All the issues are due to a particular pesticide's self ingestion or suicide. All the victims are from the rural farming community even school going children ingesting the deadly pesticide. Here doctors are failing to make them revive because they don't have any antidotes. Now few practicing doctors of the hospital have dared to come forward & taken a movement to restrict the use or ban the pesticide so as many future deaths can be prevented. Self Ingestion of pesticides (Suicide) is a global health problem. The filmmaker is trying for a worldwide consensus to resolve the issue.

  • Goutam Mishra
    Director
  • Goutam Mishra
    Writer
  • Goutam Mishra
    Producer
  • Dr.Shankar Ramchandani
    Key Cast
  • MUZE AVL
    Post Production
  • Khirod Maharana
    Post Production
  • Subodh Maharana
    Sound & Background Score
  • Goutam Mishra
    DOP
  • Navjyoti Handique
    DOP
  • Puspendu Haldar
    DOP
  • Sambit Mohapatra
    Postor Design
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    30 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    December 7, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    4,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    India
  • Country of Filming:
    India
  • Language:
    English
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Jaipur International Film Festival (JIFF,2021)

    India
    January 19, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Rome Independent Prisma Awards,2021

    Official Selection
  • Maharastra International Film Festival,2021

    Official Selection
  • Port blair International Film Festival,2021

    Official Selection
  • Lonely Wolf: London International Film Festival 2021

    Nominee Documentary Cinematography
  • Port Blair International Film Festival,2021

    Award Winner Critic Choice Best Documentary Short
  • Chicago International Social Change Film Festival,2021

    Official Selection
  • Bolywood International Film Festival,2021
    Mumbai
    November 13, 2021
    Official Selection
  • YathaKatha International Film & Literature Festival,2021
    Mumbai
    India
    November 27, 2021
    Award Winner Indian Cinema Best Short Documentary
  • Chitrabharati Film Festival,Bhopal 2022

    March 25, 2022
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Goutam Mishra

Goutam Mishra is a working photojournalist in a leading Odiya daily newspaper The Prameya. He has studied Photography at the Regional Institute of Printing Technology, Kolkata also studied Journalism & Mass Communication at OSOU, Odisha.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Why I made "The Divine Doctor"- A True Toxic Tale
In the year 2019; As a journalist, I had reported many pesticide self-poisoning cases (Paraquat Suicides) at VSSIMSAR, Burla, Odisha,India. I was new to such poisoning cases; it was strange that all the victims were from the rural farming community of Western Odisha & almost all instances were lead to fatal. Even school-going children were admitted to the hospital for self ingested pesticide poisoning. It's pained me a lot. There was a toxicological emergency at the Hospital.
While interviewing the victim's relatives & the doctors at the hospital, I found the people, in the time of frustrations or temporary emotions, ingesting the hazardous pesticide, which has even no antidote & a 99% mortality rate.
The unbearable pain & agony of the victims, their family members made me dumb on the spot & forced me to think of something essential to prevent such deaths in my area. Just a page article or a NEWS story on the issue is not sufficient for such grim situations.
Then I started digging into the issues and tried to know the circumstances of the people who had decided to quit their lives & ingested the deadly pesticide. During the same period, I had seen a few young doctors of VSSIMSAR, Hospital, were on the silent protest; when I knew the reason for their silent demonstration, it awakens my conscience "They were against the use of a particular pesticide Paraquat." They were campaigning for a ban on the pesticide to prevent future self-poisoning deaths. I found my thoughts on the issue & their protests were coaxial.
Then I have decided to strengthen their voice and assign myself a task to take their protest to the appropriate level, i.e., This film is for the global policymakers/leaders/intellects who can take versed decisions to prevent pesticide self-poisoning (Paraquat suicide).
This is a true toxic tale of pesticide poisoning in Western Odisha, India (2018-19). Suicide by ingesting Paraquat is a prevailing issue in the developing world, which desired serious attention by the learned & responsible world. I have done my bit to present the gravity of the matter. Together We Can Impact Better & Can Prevent Many Future Deaths Globally. My gratitude to all involved in this project. Best Regards!!