Gotham Chopra, son till den andlige ledaren och bestseller-författaren, slår följe med sin far under något år för att lära känna honom bättre. Det blir en film.
Från produktionsbolaget Roco Films hemsida
Film-maker and journalist Gotham Chopra embarks on a year long roadtrip with his father Deepak Chopra in an attempt to resolve the spiritual icon he is to the world vs. the real man known to his family.
From devoted disciples that range from Lady Gaga to lost souls searching for themselves in the red rock deserts of Sedona, Gotham begins to paint a raw portrait of his dad that only a son can.
The film travels across the planet chronicling colorful Deepak activities – from a traditional monk ordainment in Thailand to a literal decoding of ancient family registers in rural India. On the homefront, Gotham also takes a closer look at the expansive spiritual empire his father has built over his 25 year career that initially was conceived out of Deepak’s own deep personal and spiritual dissatisfaction, and a decidedly non-spiritual (and boozy) origin.
Ultimately what emerges is a picture of a Deepak that while reminiscent of other popularized Indian gurus, is more dad than demigod. Full of flaws, foils, intelligence, and irreverence, the decoded Deepak uncovered by his son’s honest scrutiny of him is a symbol of a world searching for answers in the most unlikely places and a deeper plunge into the meaning of identity itself.
En balanserad och på något vis psykologiskt tänkvärd recension, av Frederic och Mary Ann Brussat, för webbsidan Spirituality & Practice:
Fans of this self-help guru will find this documentary directed by his son Gotham to be helpful. It amply illustrates the global appeal of Chopra’s message of raising consciousness. Those skeptical about this roving spiritual teacher are sure to concur with Gotham’s criticism of his father’s love of material things (as demonstrated by his penchant for staying in the best hotels and constantly shopping), his arrogance as he puts down the intelligence of some Buddhist monks, and his egocentric needs for fame, adoration from fans, and the devotion of celebrities.
Decoding Deepak includes a trip to Thailand where the self-help guru is ordained as a Buddhist monk. Although Chopra claims to have been set on a new course by this experience, his son sees little evidence of any spiritual transformation. On a book tour for his novel about Muhammed, Chopra comes under fire by Fox commentators and finds it hard to remain calm, even though detachment is one of his most honored spiritual virtues.
Despite the criticism leveled against his 64-year-old father by Gotham, he does make it clear that he respects his genuine grief over the recent death of a colleague, his spiritual adventurism, his love of what he is doing and has accomplished, and his commitment to co-operative ventures he is planning for the future to alleviate world problems.
Being a globally popular spiritual teacher naturally means having a large ego, and it’s also not surprising that his message sparks a response in people of all walks of life. Chopra’s arrogance and self-absorption are forgivable flaws in a man of such vision and incredible energy.