A film on the life of the Buddha

With Buddhism’s popularity on the rise around the world as a way of living spiritually in a secular, scientific age, it was only a matter of time before talk of a movie on his life would arise. Bertollucci’s “Little Buddha” was the last brave effort at retelling this story on the silver screen using a modern tale of reincarnation to weave in the story of the making of the “Buddha”. In more recent years, Karen Brown’s wonderful biography, just called “Buddha”, made a real impression on me with its casting Buddha in a very post-modern context as a man very much of his time during the Axis Age (around 500BC, as humans settled down to urban civilizations, philosophers began discussing the self and the purpose of life around the world – Buddha, Confucius, Socrates, the Upanishadic Sages and Elijah were all contemporaries.) Brown managed to beautifully present a life lived in questioning and doubt leading to an amazing spiritual awakening of compassion and universal consciousness. Let’s hope the movie can imbibe of some of that intelligence and perspective.

This is from the London Times of 23 July:

More than a decade ago an epic film about Buddha was abandoned after it provoked such threatening protests in India that the director needed police protection. Now the Anglo-Indian director Shekhar Kapur, is embarking on his own ambitious project, with a possible role for Richard Gere, a devout Buddhist. Although the film has yet to be cast, reports suggest that Brad Pitt and Aishwarya Rai, the former Miss World and star of Bride & Prejudice, might also be involved.

The film will tell the story of the man who appeared to have everything — a royal title, looks and the most beautiful girls — but who felt that something was missing and went on to attain enlightenment. Some 2,500 years after his death, Buddha looks likely to be brought to life on the big screen as the film-makers have secured the blessing of the Dalai Lama. The film has a big budget — up to about £70 million, it is believed — funded entirely by the Indian billionaire industrialist Bhupendra Kumar Modi. In India it is not unusual for a sole person to back a film. In this case, he is supporting one of the industry’s leading directors. After making the critically acclaimed Bandit Queen, Kapur directed Elizabeth, which was nominated for seven Oscars and 12 Baftas, and made a star of Cate Blanchett.

Read the full story....http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1704639,00.html