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A True Story About a False Prophet: Kumaré
DaltheJigsaw
Mountain View Veteran
Comments
And it's really more like a mockumentary.
You can fool a lot of the people a lot of the time.............. great isnt it?
Kumaré is an American 2011 documentary film directed by Vikram Gandhi.
To record the documentary, American filmmaker Vikram Gandhi transformed himself into Sri Kumaré, an enlightened guru from a fictional village in India, by adopting a fake Indian accent and growing out his hair and beard. In the film, Kumaré travels to Arizona to spread his made-up philosophy and gain sincere followers.[1][2]
Kumaré premiered at the 2011 South by Southwest Film Festival (SXSW), where it received the festival's Feature Film Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature.[3] Gandhi came up with the idea of a fictional guru while recording another documentary film about yogis and their followers.
It turns out the people he "fools" in the film are real people, not actors .... so it's technically a documentary - and part "reality show" set up. Some of the people in the film, were (understandably) VERY upset to find out they were so easily and completely fooled. "Kumare's" plan was to reveal himself as a 'fake' (at some point) right from the start.
No money was ever taken for anything from any of the people seeking spiritual guidance or help. So it's not about being taken for $ - it seems they were just very angry for looking foolish and/or desperate.
I'm going to try and find somewhere to watch this movie, (online, Youtube, TV etc) I think it will be fascinating.
. . . however creating individuals capable of independent thought and giving them the means to enlightenment . . . could be a little ambitious . . .
That reminds me of the story of Ekalavya in the Mahabharata: When the student is sincere; the placebo-Teacher will do just fine.
Maybe the Buddha never really existed; and he is the placebo we use for our self-liberation?
Most dharma teachers are information transmitters. That is fine. Perhaps a little better than a book. Monks may illustrate aspects of the teaching, which is inspirational. That is good company.
However at some point we are going to have to change behaviour. In essence we are going to have to develop the qualities of being able to learn from our experience . . .
The truth is most of us don't really want to change too drastically. Because if we did, we would. Then we would have a base.
:wave:
Of course, I'm not "attached" to the notion that gurus/monks/lamas/priests are needed to discover and understand Buddhism - or any other religion for that matter - so the whole film just reinforced my bias, I guess you could call it.
I really enjoyed this documentary.
I found the ending very inspiring and even my non-Buddhist husband said that he could see how what started out as "fakery" ended up teaching everyone involved, from the faker to all the duped 'students', some really important lessons about religion/spirituality and 'spiritual leaders'.
I said, Wow, I'm really impressed you saw it like that.... because that's EXACTLY the point in the end. (I won't give away too much more of the end)
I may just watch it again with my daughter. Fascinating stuff.
We are asleep but can infer by some sort of dreamed inference who is awake? Anyone sense a flaw in that? We assume those confirmed by reputation, experience, hierarchy or our recognition capacity are awake . . . m m m . . . .
Perhaps, just perhaps, the enlightened teach in a way and to people able to benefit, when they are ready. That would make becoming ready our responsibility. I look forward to watching this film.
Spirituality is about integrity. Starting with our own.
I take refuge in the Buddha.
I take refuge in the Dharma.
I take refuge in the Sangha.
I hope more (of us) will be watching it soon..... You really view it more as a mockumentary?
I see Bill Mahr's "RELIGULOUS" as more of a mockumentary and religious satire.
Borat was done in a mockumentary format (totally hated it) .... But I don't think Kumare` was.
It may have started out with a somewhat facetious premise or intent, but it ends up being completely legit in its lessons and discoveries, for both teacher and students- don't you think?
I thought the lass who lost 70lbs was brilliant too. I didn't think it was a mockumentary; maybe it started off that way, but it was quite poignant towards the end.
Anyway, thanks, best thing I've watched for a long time.
But that doesn't make the film itself a 'mockumentary', does it? To me a mockumentary is a comedy using a documentary style mode of story telling.
This wasn't a comedy using mocking humor or sarcasm as it's humor base.
It wasn't the same as Borat or Religulous.
It started out as an experiment - a religious, social experiment.
He didn't trick any of those people into telling him anything, or revealing anything personal about themselves; they went to him. He didn't offer to teach, or counsel, or heal, or anything. They asked, they expected, they believed they got what they were looking for; but really, he didn't tell them much of anything of any significance, did he?
Remember, he did know yoga, and started the experiment with yoga classes, given by his 'assistant' who I believe was also a long time yoga student and maybe even a legit yoga instructor, (tho I don't recall).
He merely presented himself as an Indian 'stranger' to this country and culture, and every single one of those people were making their own assumptions, and pursuing Kumare` - for their own needs/wants/curiosity.
He even told them straight out, more than once, that he was NOT a guru... said he was "Just like you". He said he was not special, he was just an ordinary man.
They chose to hear those words as some sort of metaphorical/spiritual comparison, not reality.
Out of the 12-13 (?) steady students 'Kumare' had, only 2-3 were so upset that they didn't speak to him after he revealed his truth.
Everyone else seemed to eventually "get it" and realized they had ALL learned some very interesting and profound lessons about each other, about assumptions and perceptions- but especially about themselves. I think the person who learned the most was Vikram Gandhi himself.
I thought it was brilliant.
But you're right, it wasn't as funny as Borat. Borat had my eyes watering with laughter.