Over 15 years ago, Hollywood actor Julia Roberts had spoken about her immediate connection with spiritual guru Neem Karoli Baba after seeing his picture. Closer home, we’ve often seen actor Anushka Sharma and cricketer Virat Kohli visiting the late spiritual guru’s ashram in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh. What is it about Neem Karoli Baba that his principles have lived on through his disciples the world over, even decades after his demise in 1973? Director Sharad Singh Thakur hopes to answer that with his upcoming Hindi film, Shree Baba Neeb Karori Maharaj, which chronicles the guru’s life and legacy. Marathi actor Subodh Bhave plays the titular role.
Thakur, who has also written the story and screenplay, told mid-day that he has planned it as a three-part story. “We have completed two parts, which will be released in succession. We plan to shoot the third part soon, which will [begin from] Baba’s demise in 1973 and depict how Kainchi Dham [one of Neem Karoli Baba’s ashrams] was developed,” he said.
Steve Jobs
Even as another biopic, Hanuman Ansh: Baba Neem Karori Maharaj, on the spiritual leader is readying for release, Thakur is unfazed. He claimed that his offering is backed by intense research, and made with the consent of the guru’s family. “I bought the rights from Baba’s family. Girija, his daughter, is 80 years old now. I met her as well as many of those with whom Baba interacted. We did research for four years before beginning the movie. We are planning to release it in April.”
Busting the myth
Some suggest that late Steve Jobs had chosen the name Apple for his company because he was inspired when he visited Neem Karoli Baba’s ashram during his India trip in 1974, and apples were the guru’s favourite fruit. “This is not true at all as they had never met. I have cleared this [myth] in the movie,” said Sharad Singh Thakur.
Famous followers of Neem Karoli Baba:
Julia Roberts; (right) Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma
. Julia Roberts
. Virat Kohli
. Anushka Sharma
. Ram Dass