Netflix has released a new documentary, “Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator”, which came to streaming on 20 November 2019.The documentary by the Oscar-winning filmmaker Eva Orner follows the rise and fall of the yoga magnate Bikram Choudhury and his empire. It was built on a set of lies and arrogance, and a level of sociopathy only witnessed in Donald Trump these days, crumbling after multiple accusations of sexual harassment, abuse and assault came to light.
If you’ve not heard of Bikram Choudhury before, he is a Bengali Indian who migrated to the USA bringing yoga to the politicians and celebrities, also putting it on the map in the USA in the 70s. He became the super successful Speedo thong-clad founder of the Bikram Yoga, a form of hot yoga consisting of a fixed series of 26 postures practised in a hot environment of 40 °C. Although as you’ll see in the documentary, there is more to that story. Watch the trailer here.
The accusations, which began to publically come out in 2013, unmasked the toxic man behind the hot yoga phenomenon. At least six women have accused him publicly of sexual harassment, abuse, assault, and rape. And there could be many more.
Eva Orner, who won the Academy Award in 2008 for Best Documentary for Taxi to the Dark Side, directs this beautifully, even bringing archive footage from within the training sessions. You also hear a few accusers and followers’ first witness accounts, bringing many disturbing events to light.
The formal charges came in 2016, after which he fled the country. Sadly, he has not been criminally charged till date. And in 2019, he has managed to return to running his incredibly toxic yoga teacher training program, with the help of Mexico, and the countless people who still believe he can be a guru while being a predator. Personally, I don’t believe that’s possible.
As of now, he also announced a 15-day tour of India with his followers in January 2020, leading participants through Delhi through to Kolkata via Mumbai and Jodhpur. It’s named ‘Bikram’s India Legacy Tour’. Let’s hope ‘Time’s Up’ for him soon.
“Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator” is now playing on Netflix. And you must watch it soon.