In Athens, Gurus back film series on Indian Gods

New Delhi: A Mel Gibson-model of faith-based filmmaking is gaining traction among Indian religious traditions. Ten Jagadgurus, including Shankaracharya of Hariharapura Sachidananda Saraswati Mahaswami, along with representatives of major dharmic traditions, travelled to Athens to support a film series on Hindu gods. The idea draws inspiration from Gibson's The Passion of the Christ, which saw massive church backing. Gibson reportedly invested $30 m of his own funds after failing to find producers, with the film eventually earning $612 m globally. In India, a similar model was seen with Chaar Sahibzaade, an animated film by Baweja Studios made on a budget of ₹15 cr that earned ₹70 cr worldwide, aided by support from gurudwaras. Building on this approach, spiritual leaders from Shaiva, Advaita, Dvaita, Shakta, Swaminarayan, Jain, Buddhist, Sikh and Yoga traditions have come together to support an eight-film series on Indian gods. The event also saw the formal announcement of The Chronicles of Devi: Chapter 1 - Mahishasura, the first in the series, to be made by filmmaker Manu Kumaran and Harman Baweja of Baweja Studios. According to the filmmakers, the stories are being developed under the guidance of the Bharatiya Santa Maha Parishad. The project is being positioned as more than a conventional film venture. Instead of relying on traditional promotions, the team plans to reach audiences through temples, ashrams and spiritual networks in India and across the global diaspora.