Hare Krishna Movie Review: A Spiritual Journey

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) was formed in 1966 in New York by Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada at a time when the youth of the country was eagerly embracing counter-culture and John Griesser’s docu-drama Hare Krishna seeks to share the journey of the movement through archival records and opinions of those who accepted the movement as a way of life.

The docu-drama revolves around Srila Prabhupada, who traveled from Calcutta to New York at the age of 70 at the behest of his spiritual guru, who wanted him to spread the message of Lord Krishna on foreign shores. Needless to say, it was not a cakewalk for the penniless spiritual guru, who had neither sponsors nor enough warm clothing to battle winter.

The initially dejected Prabhupada soon found hope when the storefront, where he used to live, became the go-to place for youngsters, who were seeking some meaning to their lives. How this snowballed into a major movement spanning countries, is what the docu-drama is all about.

The film is indeed an inspiring and informative watch for those who are curious about the origins of the ISKCON movement and how it spread across countries despite the initial skepticism about the ‘Hare Krishna’ philosophy. The docu-drama also throws lights on how many celebs, including George Harrison of The Beatles, whole-heartedly lent his support after meeting some followers and being impressed with their dedication and spirituality.

Needless to say, ‘Hare Krishna’ is rich with historical facts and anecdotes about the Swami and memories shared by followers and supporters, which makes the film an interesting watch.

However, on the flip side, the film comes across as one-sided as director John Griesser seems to focus only on admiration for the movement and only lightly touches on the controversies surrounding the movement and its opponents who labeled it a cult. It would have been interesting to see the other side of the story and see what the detractors of ISKCON had to say about the movement.

Nevertheless, if serious docu-drama is your cup of tea, ‘Hare Krishna’ is worth a watch…