Kumare is a social experiment. Filmmaker Vikram Gandhi wanted to see if he could impersonate a guru, invent a bunch of phony rituals, and find a following. This film, now playing at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, is an amazing experience and ripe with debatable topics. Is this just a cruel trick he plays on people looking for something genuine? Does he prove that his theory that the guru inside is all the spiritual leader you need? Is this man simply a sociopathic genius?
I loved this film. I loved how awkward it was and how frankly honest this fake guru was about his "true self" and how he seemed to be proving unequivocally that people hear what they want to hear and see what they want to see. His thesis seems to check out -- many of his followers do learn to believe enough in their inner voices to live by their own code instead of seeking validation and blind guidance from an external source. But what about the people who simply feel duped? Was the experiment worth exploiting these "innocent bystanders" -- were they actually innocent bystanders? The moral, social, and ethical ramifications of the Kumare experiment are beyond fascinating.
Please go see this film so we can discuss it. Thank you for your cooperation.
Sarah W.
p.s. Blue Light meditation anyone??? KABAM!
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