Kumaré

I don’t even know where to begin with this one. This movie is unlike anything I have ever seen. I saw this film this year at SXSW, and it was easily the most thought provoking film of the whole festival. It starts out as kind of a joke but gets real in an unexpected and gripping way. The film asks a lot of big questions right away, and the experiment of the film leaves you with a lot to mull over.

“Kumare” is a documentary about a man who sets out to do an experiment on the nature of spirituality. His assertion is that spirituality comes from within and no one needs a spiritual leader or guru to find inner peace. So he decides to put on some robes, invent some fake yoga techniques, and adopt a fake Indian accent to become the made up guru Kumare. The film starts as this kind of Borat style subversive prank, but as soon as he gains actual followers he realizes it’s not a joke. Fortunately he designed his spiritual teachings in such a way that hopefully the people knew it wasn’t real the whole time.

The scope of this film and the experiment in terms of philosophy and sociology is incredible. It’s also really funny. The yoga moves he gets people to do are absurd. People look stupid doing them and it’s easy to laugh, but what you come away with is that all rituals are absurd and if they bring someone comfort then what does it really matter if they are a thousand years old or invented yesterday. This subversive take on religion and spirituality is the crux of the film. It’s where the humor comes from but also a very powerful point about the nature of spirituality. One thing that gets glossed over is the idea of cults, which can be extremely dangerous. Essentially this man started a cult, however his intention were pure. But many use the power of suggestion that he utilizes for more malicious ends. So there is this conflict in the film between the ideas of whether false faith is really so bad if it makes people happy, or is it possible find happiness within your self without the illusion. See it and decide for yourself.