“Hare Krishna! tells the story of the spiritual movement’s founder, Srila Prabhupada, who came to the United States in 1965 at age 70 with practically no money or connections. Settling in New York City, he began delivering lectures interpreting ancient Sanskrit texts at locations that included a Lower East Side walk-up apartment and a former gift shop, Matchless Gifts.
“Prabhupada arrived at the ideal time in history to promulgate his teachings. The counterculture movement was just beginning and the Hare Krishna movement quickly caught on with the young hippie crowd, especially at its Haight-Ashbury epicenter in San Francisco. The swami proved himself a tireless promoter until his death in 1977.
“Most people remember the Hare Krishnas from their distinctive chant and the members who approached people at airports and other crowded locales. Its celebrity members also helped cement it into the public consciousness. George Harrison gave the movement its own musical anthem with his classic song My Sweet Lord, which incorporated Vedic prayer as well as the chant into its lyrics.
“There’s a fascinating tale, rich with social and historical resonance, to be told here.” - Hollywood Reporter