Namaste Yoga - Short Film Review

Short Film Review

"Namaste Yoga," a short film by Shri Ravi Chand of Warrior Tribe Films, is an audio-visual treat. It is the story of two children growing up Hindu in Australia, the story of a father struggling to come to terms with the death of his wife while raising the young twins, a boy and a girl, Shiv and Kali. Shiv's questions about yoga and his father's wise explanation give plenty of pointers for Hindu parents on handling these questions, especially while living outside India. Hindu concepts of Atma, Paramatma, Shakti, etc., are handled with sincerity and seeking that is hard to find among filmmakers anywhere in the world.

The film has very pleasing and tasteful aesthetics. The murtis of the gods are gorgeous, and the music is serene, conveying a timeless, classical mood. The film is steeped in images of Bharatanatyam, yoga, puja, flowers, and everything you associate with being Hindu.

In the words of the filmmakers, "Namaste Yoga is about the effect Cultural Appropriation can have on young Hindu kids and their self-worth, when their Culture is appropriated, commoditised and sold back to them." 

While it deals with a typical diaspora experience of a non-Hindu yoga teacher talking down to Hindu children, the film's spirit is international. 

The scene in which a white lady tries to pass off as an expert after "200 hours of yoga teacher training" while at the same time feeling threatened by the Hindu child's knowledge of mantras strikes a chord. Watching the film together can help start conversations about ancient family lineage and sacred parampara between parents and children. 

Hindus in India need to watch it because the problem of appropriating Hindu wisdom and traditions is the same in India, too. Indian Hindus should watch and support the diaspora-led genuine exploration of what it means to grow up Hindu. These issues concern all of us.

Hindus must learn to look past the lip service paid to diversity and stop being impressed by Western claims of superiority. In today's DEI-obsessed environment, it is almost impossible to find Hindus telling their own stories authentically. And more of us need to start asking why.

We need more content like this to address issues and start conversations among Hindus. Authentic on-screen representation of Hindus is rare, and this film helps us see what genuine Hindu storytelling looks like. We'd like to see longer feature films from the talented and dharmic director, Shri Ravi Chand, who made the film so that "the next generation of Hindus can be proud of who they are."

"Namaste Yoga" is a touching, nostalgic, hauntingly realistic yet positive story with lingering visuals portraying quintessentially Hindu things, like applying bindi with the ring finger. The fact that the father, Gopal, is the keeper of tradition makes the film novel and reassuring. He finally takes over the role of mother and father when he applies the tilak on his children's foreheads, just as their mother used to do when she was alive.

This film is also a gentle guide for parents in answering children's questions about Hindu traditions like yoga, wearing a bindi, etc. The father, Gopal, radiates calmness and assurance in his skin, his lineage and his yoga parampara which can only come from deep knowledge. These are the qualities that Hindu parents everywhere would do well to emulate.

The film can be watched at Vidyalila.com.