Kumaré (2011) User Reviews

A Fascinating and Troubling Film about Human Spirituality

[JustCuriosity · 9/10 · 19 March 2011]

The highly provocative film Kumare had its world premiere this week at Austin's SXSW Film Festival. The film was very well-received and created a lot of buzz, because of how it was made. Everyone was saying you must see Kumare and not surprisingly it won the Audience Award for Best Documentary.

Kumare is fascinating, because it is somewhere between a documentary and a reality TV show. In the film Director Vikram Gandhi moves to Phoenix, AZ where he pretends to be a wise Indian guru and begins to recruit followers to his yoga sessions. He develops a group of followers and keeps the game going for months. Even though he is making it up, he finds that there are many people desperation for spiritual guidance that are easily convinced and willing to follow him. The film raises lots of questions about spirituality, human gullibility, and the role of spiritual leaders. He certainly shows how easy it is for those with ill intentions to build a cult-like following. The film crew took no money and Kumare attempted to teach a message of self-empowerment to his followers since he always intended to reveal himself to them. The content of the documentary was entertaining, provocative, and humorous. From an artistic point-of-view, the young documentary filmmakers should be commended for raising important questions about human nature and religion.

However, many in the audience seem deeply troubled by their methods of impersonating a guru and lying to people about whom they were and what their intentions. At times, the humor of the film was based on mocking the followers for how easily they were deceived by bogus chants and practices. It was also clear that many people told Kumare intimate details of their lives. While it seems that many of the participants benefited from his teachings of self-empowerment, some were clearly very angry at how they were deceived. While they didn't take money, they were using to advance their careers. There is something deeply exploitative in the way that they were deceived. Kumare raises a lot of interesting ethical questions that should be explored by those who are making documentary films. To put it simply, were the dishonest means that they used to achieve a worthwhile and interesting end appropriate?

It's not what it seems to be

[oysterbed · 8/10 · 27 July 2012]

I just saw this movie, and I encourage you to see it if you're drawn to the subject at all. The premise sounds mean-spirited, and one would expect the movie to be all about poking fun at the gullible followers of the fake guru, but it's not like that. Surprisingly, the director (who plays Kumare) does not come off as a jerk who's looking down on the followers he's managed to rope in. He seems surprised, as the audience is, that it's so easy to be accepted as a fake guru, and there is a lot of humor surrounding that. But I thought the jokes were aimed at Kumare more often than his followers, many of whom come across as likable and even accomplished. In a way, the real stars of this movie are the followers, because it's their sincerity that makes the film something other than what it started out to be.

Worth seeing

[a-osta · 9/10 · 28 February 2013]

The subject is a necessary truth and is right on time. The reason the rating is low is because someone gave the movie 2 stars based on personal disagreements rather than on the film's quality. There is no way this is a 2 star movie. I think it deals with a very important subject and there are fake gurus out there, and it just shows humanity's deep need for spirituality, as well as their profound gullibility. I have written a book about shamans and it sort of deals with the same side of the story. My book is called shamans and healers, if you are interested. In short, the movie is definitely worth seeing, and is more gutsy than I would be able to pull off. Good film.

A lot better than the score here.

[amberm18 · 10/10 · 20 July 2012]

It's getting low rated because of the ethics of the situation, people don't like how the group was misled even if it was for their own benefit as well. But I really urge you to watch this movie for yourself and make up your own mind, it's really worth it.

In the beginning, he sets out to expose many gurus as frauds, that pray on people seeking answers, for money, fame and even sex. He dons a beard and an AWESOME walking stick, and begins defining his teachings and seeking pupils.

When he actually gets followers, he is shocked how fast they tell him their life stories, considering he says very little at all. Some critics were appalled at this part and think it exploitative, but I would point out these people already signed a waver to be filmed, so they knew their outpourings of emotions were not just going to be heard by him but whoever saw the documentary. He didn't manipulate them into talking about themselves, they were fine with the whole world seeing it.

What's surprising in this movie is how many times he tells them as frank as you can get that he is a fraud, and they still don't believe him. It really makes you think about how other religions got started. In the bible, Jesus is frequently asked if he is the son of god, to which he always replied he was the son of man. Parallel here? It's easy to see how these things get started.

What he tells them as teachings are not morally wrong either. He tells them that they are normal, beautiful people. They don't deserve to dwell on their mistakes and be miserable, and they have the power to do it themselves. People turn to religion because it's much harder to turn to yourself and say, "I'm okay, I'm a good person, I'm a strong person", we seek validation by other people and deities to back up this thought. It's hard for most people to be selfish, even for their own good.

The documentary maker changed a lot himself during this process. He goes from wanting to expose gurus, to understanding why people seek them out. He genuinely cares about his followers and chickens out of revealing himself a few times.

Even after the reveal, some followers insisted he had physic powers, and that says it all. Some people were still not strong enough to believe that a teaching can come from a normal, everyday person, or themselves, and had to believe it came from someone with supernatural powers.

All in all, a very interesting look at religion, morality and faith. What he does and the way people react can easily be held up as a mirror to any of the major religions. It makes for some very interesting inner questions and topics of discussion for friends.

awesome movie

[support-907-829691 · 10/10 · 23 February 2013]

Vikram Gandhi + Kumare = Great leader :)

watched it tonight and i gotta say I'm very amazed by Kumare. a great and moving picture that depicts the truth about all the fake or phony gurus or self claimed prophets they call them. i liked everything about the movie like how it first started as a joke and when it was closing it to an end it gave a really good teaching and Vikram Gandhi really did a great job on that. this movie is really a must see for everyone and especially those people who have indulged themselves with fake gurus and spent lots of money on them and in the end got nothing.

10/10 :)

Kumare may be false, but "Kumare" is truly beautiful

[kcastro3 · 7/10 · 29 May 2013]

"Kumare" is a documentary starring filmmaker Vikram Gandhi. He sets out into Arizona pretending to be a Guru from India named Kumare. He begins his journey by growing his hair and beard, adopting a fake Indian accent, and going out with this fake persona. Along the way he meets many people that all believe in him and his "powerful ways". He even collects fifteen devoted followers that continue in his teachings even after he has left them. Kumare's main teaching is that followers do not need a Guru, because the truth and whatever else they are searching for comes from within.

At first sight this might sound rather funny. It sounds very similar to "Borat" or "Bruno" or whatever Sasha Baron Cohen alter ego. But it isn't. Not at all. Baron Cohen is mean spirited and goes out to make fun the people he meets. When you see him in interviews he doesn't realize the consequences of his actions. The people that he offended. Vikram as Kumare is the polar opposite. While you're watching you see how connected he is with these people. How he really does believe in what he is teaching. He believes in them and he just wants them to have faith in themselves.

The point of the documentary was to show that anyone can be a Guru (of sorts). When people are lost and confused they seek out understanding and direction. This is why they'll turn to a man, a false prophet, a fabricated Guru. Kumare listened to their problems and assured them that they had all the tools to fix their problems. He told them that they didn't need him. They just needed to seek that light within themselves, get hold of it, and use it.

I'm a firm believer in Christ and still I found Vikram's teachings profound and real. People will believe in anyone who appreciates them. Someone who can listen to their problems and love them the same. It was painful to see these people fall deeper in love with Kumare. Then in the end he has to tell everyone the truth of who he really is...I was just as deep in the lie and thus shared his fear and anxiety. If anything else this shows great storytelling.

The big picture, this is a spectacular documentary. It's evenly paced, shot well, with an intriguing plot. It's not gritty, pretentious, or sardonic. It doesn't pretend to be anything that it is not. (I did not mean for that to be nearly as ironic as it sounded). Some might be offended and hate this film, but to that I'd say they are looking to closely at the small picture and should broaden their horizons to see the real world application. Isn't that what a great documentary does? Puts life in perspective by showing the heart and flaws of humanity. Kumare may not be real, but "Kumare" is a true expose of faith, love, and humanity.

Unexpectedly intense look at our yearning for spiritual and meaningful

[FVMagic · 9/10 · 28 August 2013]

Kumaré eludes simple definitions. It lies somewhere between a documentary and reality TV. Director Vikram Gandhi is fed up with all the trendy gurus who he has found out to be exactly like any of us. He sets out to create a fake identity for himself as Sri Kumaré, a mystical holy man from India complete with the hilarious exaggerated Indian accent, big beard, long hair and all the other outward signs of a spiritual leader. He quickly finds loyal followers who are all too willing to embrace his status without really questioning anything. However, he himself makes some surprising discoveries and changes during this journey that at times seems very close to getting out of hand.

I really like the handling of this very delicate subject matter. People confide in Kumaré blindly and many openly talk about their issues and private problems. Some of the stories are truly touching and heartbreaking. Still, you don't get the sense people are exploited. They come across as dangerously gullible but at the same time sincere and vulnerable. There are also hilarious moments when people do totally absurd things without realizing the ridiculousness of the situation.

Kumaré makes you think and challenges easy answers. Yes, some of the people clearly are not rational at all, and yes, it's obvious all the "forces" and "powers" that people feel come from within themselves. But isn't that true for all religions? How is this fake guru different than any other guru - or any religious figure, for that matter? It makes it visible how painfully we crave for understanding and meaning in our lives. To feel we are worth something.

The ending is brilliant and unexpectedly intense. It made me feel confused, awkward, compassionate - and other feelings for which I have no name to put on. Highly recommended film for everyone.

Cautionary tale for spiritual seekers

[pjulieanne · 7/10 · 24 November 2012]

I wasn't expecting this film to be funny, but it was. There were many good laughs, though admittedly, most of them were at the expense of his followers. It was quite humorous what people would believe, and how easily.

It is troubling how easily and unquestioningly people will award guru status to someone who plays the part. If the same young man had come to these people dressed as himself, an American from New Jersey, they never would have listened to him, even if his message had been the same.

One of guru's nonsensical teachings was "Illusion is Truth", which is of course ridiculous. The essence of illusion is deception and lies, yet the devotees accepted this lie without question.

I am sure it must have been uncomfortable for these people to learn the truth, yet I am not troubled by the ethics of Vikram's conduct. At this very moment, hundreds, if not thousands, of spiritual charlatans are manipulating people emotionally, and exploiting them financially and sexually. These are the slime who will do whatever it takes to maintain the illusion that lies are the truth.

In contrast, Vikram always intended to make the truth known. In fact, that was the whole point. Unlike the spiritual hucksters, he didn't deceive these people to harm them, but hopefully to teach them and others the dangers of unquestioning acceptance of any teachings or teacher.

Left me conflicted

[bandw · 8/10 · 19 July 2013]

Vikram Gandhi, raised in New Jersey of Asian Indian parents, became suspicious of gurus and, in order to convince himself (and others) of their suspect credibility, he set out to show that he could fake it. And fake it he did, ultimately establishing a small group of followers in Phoenix, Arizona.

It is not clear just what Gandhi has proved by his experiment. He proved that *he* could pass himself off as an Indian guru, but he had all of the ingredients: his pretend accent (easily come by); his carefully fabricated appearance; his proficiency in yoga to the point where he could conduct classes; his emphasis on meditation; and a message that was generic enough that most anyone could find a way to respond to it, namely that each of us has an inner guru that represents our best and truest self.

I was conflicted in how I felt about what Gandhi did. The only thing that I can see where he flat lied was in his claiming to be from a small village in India. I do have a problem with Gahndi's grand plan to make this into a movie from the start, giving some credence to the opinion that it was not his followers from whom he was wanting to extract money, but rather from the ticket sales to his movie. Just how cynical Gahndi was in his approach is open to debate.

On the positive side, Gahndi would often tell his followers that he was not who they thought he was. As far as I am concerned Kumaré made a perfectly good guru. He had very sympathetic eyes and was a good listener--would that many a psychiatrist do as well as he. And it is not like Gandhi just flipped a switch to try out his experiment; he researched the field and developed a classic guru look and message. I don't see where he did much harm, and could have done good. The big failings of many gurus is their love of money and sex--recall the antics of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh for example. But, as presented, Kumaré was not eliciting sex nor was he apparently extorting money.

If Gahndi set out to make a mockery of gurus, then I don't think he achieved his goal. In fact, after revealing the truth to his followers many of them continued to regard what he had to offer as valuable.

I think that what Gahndi proved is how eager many people are to get spiritual guidance and how appreciative they are to find someone who will take them seriously and listen to them. Initially I viewed Kumaré's followers as foolishly gullible, but on further reflection I found their behaviors perfectly understandable. Compared to some of the far out eccentrics Karmaré ran into (like the sect that believed they had come from another planet), Kumaré seemed well within the bounds of believability.

An Exposé of Misplaced Faith...but should we trust it?

[bismarcksteve · 7/10 · 9 December 2015]

"Kumaré" is a bit like a Hindu version of "Marjoe." And like that movie, we end up wondering if the audience, too, is being taken on a ride. Deceptive charisma can cut both ways. Most documentaries rely on a certain amount of editorial manipulation to create a coherent narrative. Sometimes the business of creating narrative crosses the line between events that happen and events that are constructed. Many instances during the film raised doubts about documentary fidelity:

1. The participants seem unaware of the camera, even when it is right in front of them. Were they coached so successfully that they never glanced at it?

2. How did Gandhi get signed legal release forms from all these people? Were they compensated for their participation?

3. Was ALL the footage real-time recording or were some of the scenes reenacted? Was any of it scripted or rehearsed?

Gandhi probably could have withheld the final reveal from us until the end of the movie. He decides instead to clue us in on the deception from the beginning (and that's where Gandhi's role as a reliable narrator comes into question). Doing so allows the use of circular form -- starting the movie near "the end" and backtracking to the setup and then proceeding forward again until we catch up with the opening scene. The problem with that, however, is that waiting well over an hour to see how an "unveiling" to which we are already privy will play out begins to wear on the viewer's patience. This would have been a stronger film at half its unnecessarily drawn-out length.

The film's strongest aspect is the implied examination of the strife between rational and emotional epistemology. Rationalists want to know whether or not the Emperor is actually wearing new clothes as a point of objective and external reality. Emotionalists want to see beauty in the new clothes that the Emperor may or may not be wearing and are willing to create an internal reality that feeds their expectations. Winnowing out what is real and what is not may not be at the epicenter of belief acquisition for everyone.

In the end, we see that spiritualism is a kind of stone soup. The characterization may be a deception because the stone has no taste, but the soup is still flavorful because of the bits of meat and carrot and potato that the believers bring to the broth. People yearn to be in fellowship with others. Almost any stone that can make that happen is going to attract people. But it shouldn't take 84 minutes to underscore that point.

A film that touches hearts

[Zensha · 10/10 · 20 January 2014]

So much irony in some of these comments here. Much to the contrary of what Kumare preaches, we seem to be quick at judging (more like guessing) others and their intentions, but never quite have the time to look into ourselves.

Yes what he did wasn't the nicest thing and the initial goal he had in mind certainly wasn't to help anyone find himself. What I see is a somewhat brilliant young man looking for himself and searching for answers after being disappointed with all the fake gurus and superstition.

He gradually finds out that Kumare is in fact his ideal self and that he is slowly becoming the real Kumare. He finds a deep connection with people as Kumare that Vikram has never experienced. He finds himself and sees the importance of helping others find themselves too.

I didn't watch the movie with the intention to judge him. I watched it hoping to learn something from it, and I did. Watch it with an open mind, and it will touch your heart.

Extraordinary

[alkaabiasma · 12 February 2017]

Kumare is an extraordinary documentary. Vichram Ghandi (Kumare) has done such a great job directing as well as being the main character of this film. The questions that are being discussed in the documentary might have passed your thoughts before. Most people search for guidance in spiritual connections between them and God and the closest thing to that is a guru. Now I'm not sure if it's staged or not but Vichram is a genius for being able to handle such character. Each one of us has been in that phase of questioning our faith and I think it's important to watch documentaries that discuss such topics to reduce that sense of negligence in ourselves.

A touching film, better than I expected.

[umtanum · 7/10 · 3 August 2012]

Vikram Ghandi, from New Jersey, wants to make a documentary about why people fall into cults and follow fake gurus. So he adopts his grandmother's Indian accent and poses as Kumare, an Indian guru. Kumare builds a following of devoted students of his "teachings". "Be all you can be!" Kumare repeatedly tells his disciples that he is a big fake, but they just see that as some kind of deep lesson. Despite Vikram being increasingly uncomfortable with his ruse, we see that everybody involved ends up being touchingly human. This can be compared with 'Borat', but Borat sets out to show everybody is a jerk, and he ends up being the biggest jerk of all. By the end of Kumare, we wonder if Vikram isn't a real guru after all.

Defeats his own point

[chex13 · 5/10 · 30 September 2013]

The definition of a guru being 'darkness into light' i.e. realisation of a truth should have given Vikram some pause for thought. His quest to spread a message that he believes to be true made him real guru, not a false one. The fact that he decided to be a guru seems to be his rationale behind being false, which makes no sense. The only way he would have been a false guru is if he had intentionally misled people, which he didn't. Indeed he connected better with people as Kumare than as Vikram.

The entire premise defeats his own message. The fact that these people needed someone to tell them that they should be their own guru requires a guru for the message to be delivered. It is the same message as Buddhism, Sikhism and probably other eastern traditions.

The only thing he demonstrated was the difference between a real guru and a false one. Ironically he was one of the real ones with a true message, once again, defeating his own aim. Something he didn't seem to realise at any point.

Smarter than the average yogi

[hte-trasme · 8/10 · 12 June 2014]

It's said that Vikram Gandhi "impersonated" in Indian guru for this documentary but it seems like the deception he carried out was limited to speaking with an Indian accent rather than his own New Jersey one, wearing robes, and growing his hair and beard -- external elements that his disciples interpret in ways that vastly change their interpretations of the actual content of what he says.

The film starts as a sort of practical expose of false gurus, and it never loses its power in that way -- these people are all very easily led to thinking they have had profound metaphysical experiences after speaking with a complete skeptic who merely looks and sounds like he could provide them with a metaphysical experience -- and who is telling them he's an illusion the whole time.

If that's immoral at all, it's far less immoral than what is done by the countless "actual" gurus who seriously present supernatural claims and use them as a way into people's checkbooks.

A key to the success of this film is Gandhi's performance in his "role" -- giving Kumare an innocence through his reactions and style of movement that endears him to the disciples while they are convinced of his wisdom. Without that their striking reactions could not have been captured. And it is remarkable when he realizes that he can make deeper connections with people and enjoy life more when he is playing Kumare than when he is not.

There is an attempt to show that despite the earthly nature of his teachings, the students' lives have actually improved after their instruction with Kumare/Vikram. I'm not certain how I feel about that, but it's not a scientific claim, and amounts to saying that an admittedly-fake guru can help people as much or more than a supposedly- real one, and that they most needed to be told that they didn't need a guru. And that's fair.

This is a fascinating experiment and a worthwhile documentary.

A minor spiritual masterpiece

[sshachter · 10/10 · 20 April 2013]

I feel compelled to review this movie because my take on it seems to differ from all the others I read. Yes it is true that Vikram was no spiritual master. However, his intent is performing this experiment was noble from the outset - to protect the gullible from phony gurus who would prey on them. But to Vikram's great surprise, he discovered that a regular practice of yoga and meditation, coupled with a desire for sincere insight, does lead to deeper connection with the Divine within. His message was always pure - that each of us holds a Divine spark which we can develop. He remained true to himself from the beginning, treating his followers with gentleness and love. It is no surprise that all benefited from such contact and practice. In the process, Vikram discovered his own higher self, and what was initially pretense became a sincere desire to help those who sought his advice and to elevate himself as he learned from his experience. This was a beautiful and profoundly moving film.

An ethically dubious, yet engrossing and surprisingly heartfelt documentary

[klausming · 7/10 · 25 September 2015]

Kumaré is an ethically dubious, yet engrossing and surprisingly heartfelt documentary about self-proclaimed yogis and their "spiritual" powers. In an effort to explore the legitimacy of these so-called spiritual leaders, Vikram Gandhi invents both his own philosophy: "finding the guru within", and a bearded character he names Kumaré which he plays with a fake Indian accent throughout the film. In successfully gaining a small group of dedicated followers, Kumaré unexpectedly becomes an integral part of the lives of the people who have found meaning in his "teachings". In attempting to extricate himself from his character in an unveiling that will expose the truth about his identity, filmmaker Vikram Gandhi reveals as much about himself as he does about human nature and people's willingness to follow others (Klaus Ming September 2015).

Brilliant

[contato-387-942163 · 10/10 · 3 February 2014]

Brilliant in the simplicity and the true essence of the movie: We can find meaning in whatever we want to find meaning, in other words, we are the creators of our own personal and relative reality. Whatever we put our faith in, becomes truth. It doesn't matter if it is a fake guru or a true one. It doesn't matter. Period.

In the end, what does a "true guru" really means? Maybe it means that it will sacrifice anything in the disciple's way to the true truth, even himself.

The film unveils the truth about the illusions set out in the world about systems of thought carried out by all the religions and disciplines. The systems of thought are useful in every one of them as a pathway, not an end.

This film hands out unpretentiously, like every truth is, a simple and true way of spotting the true gurus.

Must-see

[fahgeengsheet · 6/10 · 18 March 2013]

I gave this film a 6/10 and still believe that it is a must-see. As I began watching this film, I was under the impression that it was meant to be a Borat-type film in the way that the protagonist(?) Kumare had the intention of making a mockery of his subjects and the guru-style spirituality. However it quickly became evident that he didn't have the goods to bring it in that fashion. It didn't take much more than ten minutes of the documentary unfolding for me to realize that he didn't quite know where he wanted to go with his premise. It was almost as if he approached this project without a plan. It seemed to me that this guy was not ready for a filmed endeavor into a subject of this magnitude. He is still too incomplete as a person.

This film is a must-see because it teaches a very valuable lesson, although it may not have been the lesson Kumare had intended. Kumare admitted that he began to enjoy the lifestyle that his guru-hood afforded him. I would imagine that virtually every self-made guru begins the same way Kumare did. He simply reinvented himself and started a new life. He created a life for himself that he found meaning in and fell in love with it. See, the problem here was the fact that in recklessly pursuing his own understanding of spirituality, Kumare dragged several other people through the mud with him. And let's make no mistake about it... Kumare was nothing more than a child playing at finding himself throughout this film.

In the end, he didn't have the heart to stay on course with his plan to 'reveal' himself. He half-assed it. This didn't surprise me. But, what choice did he have? If he was going to release this film and try to save at least some face at the same time, he would have to handle the situation the way he finally did. The coward couldn't even 'reveal' himself in person. He made his victims watch it on a TV screen before he would even enter the building.

I cheered when some of the more honest folks left when he finally showed his face. The others frantically adapted to the folly and accepted his ruse. What else could they do? No one wants to walk away looking like a fool.

We are our own guru

[tcall-152-465863 · 10/10 · 16 June 2013]

I think that people who miss the point of this movie have missed out on learning a great truth. We can help ourselves. We are our own guru. I think that this is the only way we can be truly happy is if we choose to be. We can't ride on the coattails of someone else's happiness or truth. We have to find it inside. This is what Vikram was bringing out. The illusion is truth.

During Vikram's path of discovery he learned that he is Kumare and Vikram. As Kumare he stated that he had never felt more connected to people than he did then. Why? He took the time to 1) show an interest in others 2) connect with empathy and compassion 3) engage in reflective listening & conversation 4) Serve others 5) Teach them how to be self empowered

He positively affected change in the lives of many people he encountered. Could he have done that as Vikram? I think not. Sometimes we need the illusion to move into our truth.

I think he would make a great life coach, as Vikram. :)

You realize it's you, the viewer, who's the ultimate sucker. Right?

[webmailtim · 13 July 2013]

What a Fascinating movie about the human condition,blah, blah, blah. So the reviews go - for people who arrogate themselves to believe that they're "in on it" and woe and behold the frailty of humankind to be taken in by charlatans. Well, physicians, Heal thyself! Kumare from Jersey is playing YOU as the patsy. Breathe deep his bogus mirror therapy. Because you're the sucker in the mirror and This was scripted from start to finish yet other reviewers like to believe that Kumare got carried away and painted himself into a corner with a fantasy that he took too far. No he didn't. It wasn't a moral crisis that he suffered when he found himself too far into his own game that he couldn't "reveal" himself in person and and sheepishly had to do it via video to his followers. The video "reveal" is for your sake *the viewer* and on purpose. Like the fools who had phallic symbols painted by this sadistic freak onto their faces yet still embrace him after he picked their spiritual pocket, foolish viewers give this a top rating. You really think he was to chicken too do a personal "reveal" in front of 2 dozen people? No, he was hunting the bigger game- the video audience.

Interesting

[phulla · 7/10 · 3 May 2021]

It's all about what you take from this movie that matters and makes all the difference.

What a great movie.

[fake_id_29 · 10/10 · 1 April 2013]

The quote at the beginning best sums it up. "Faith begins as an experiment and ends as an experience". He started off as a skeptic trying to see how well he could trick people. By the end he had discovered something about himself. He himself did not realize that he could become that person, his "ideal self". He has found at the end of the movie that he was the one who was tricking himself. He thought that he was tricking his disciples into believing he was a holy man. In reality he discovered that everyone has that holiness in them and that ability to do good. Nobody in this movie should feel offended because he was tricked just as much as they were.

An invaluable lesson?

[smokeysmokeysmokey · 7/10 · 6 January 2023]

Hailing from New York with his New York accent, filmmaker Vikram Gandhi transforms himself in growing out his beard and his hair long in pretending to be a guru named Kumaré from India. Documentary writing credited to Eklavya Sakpal.

Vikram, directing himself in this documentary, does the lulled followers of his guru character in the film a service by setting up the circumstance whereby they unwittingly can play out the role of been taken advantage of by a cult leader without the usual financial and abusive repercussions. One wonders was it a good thing they got this out of their system now in a safe way rather than for real later?

The films' participants and the viewer learn some valuable lessons about how easily regular good people can be taken advantage of by a seemingly charismatic stranger. The irony of the film may be its lead character Kumaré and his teaching that we are our own best guru is perhaps the truth that we all needed to hear.

A Fraud on Two Levels

[donaldose · 1/10 · 19 March 2011]

I caught this at SXSW in Austin last night. I had heard a little buzz about it, but had understood it to be an expose on a fake guru. It wasn't exactly that.

In voice-over, the movie's star says that he had first set out to expose fraudulent holy men, but precious little of this endeavor made it to the screen (although these parts are the most entertaining of the movie). At some point, so he says, he decided to become a fraudulent holy man himself in order to explore this subject.

Given the fact that the protagonist was so good at acting his role, it is, to say the least, difficult to believe that the movie wasn't conceived and planned around his fake character from the beginning. He grows his hair, grows his beard, and adopts a rather Andy-Kaufmanesque, foreign-man accent. He speaks simple wisdoms. He does this very well. If you were a vulnerable or damaged person hoping that some comfort might await you in Eastern spiritualism, you would have believed this guy.

The problem is that this doesn't translate onto the screen as it might have seemed it would when he first pitched the project.

On the screen, the viewer gets to know a handful of the guru's marks, and they come across as earnest and likable. It becomes apparent (and this was confirmed by the filmmaker in the Q&A), that the subjects must have signed their consent forms early in the project, before they knew they were being played. They really open up to the guru and to the camera. These people come across as very sympathetic (at least to me), and I found myself increasingly uncomfortable about being an unwilling accomplice to the fraud being perpetrated on them.

When the "unveiling" (when he tells them he is American-born, and drops his accent) takes place, some of the followers simply walk out, ashen-faced. Most of them accept the rather strained contention that he was simply showing them that they didn't need a "real" guru. The fake guru later makes much of the fact that many of his followers, the ones who didn't walk out, were accepting of the whole endeavor, but, really, what choice did they have? Even a fake guru should have some understanding of cognitive dissonance.

At the Q&A, he was asked by an audience member how he dealt with the ethical side of this enterprise, which produced a long, rambling response that did not answer the question. He talked about, while shopping for groceries, being approached by strangers who would ask him for insight (as if it were strange that a guy dressed up as a guru—and sporting a well-practiced, beatific smile—would be treated as a guru).

He also talked about some of the confessions he had heard and about how horrified he had been at hearing how some of his followers had in the past taken advantage of others (the guru doesn't do irony, it seems).

He also seemed to make something of the fact that he never took any money from his marks (as if getting a movie out of the deal, all of the acclaim that goes with that, and traveling around the country doing Q&A's wasn't some kind of compensation).

The star of this show has some talent, and, if you are making a movie and need to cast someone as a guru, you might give him a call (although I wouldn't).

But none of us should have to listen to this guy pontificate on spiritual matters (which, gallingly, he continued to do until the end of the movie, and then more in the Q&A).

Early in the film, the guru said that he had years earlier rejected his family's religious teachings. It's too bad he rejected all of them; somewhere in there perhaps there was something about treating his fellow man with respect and dignity.