When the docuseries Wild Wild Country released on Netflix in the summer of 2018, hordes of Indians found themselves glued to their screens, watching the mysterious and controversial world of Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh or Osho unfold in front of their eyes. In India, even today, almost three decades after his death, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh’s legacy continues to live. From multi-coloured Osho footwear to Pune’s Osho garden which has grown to become a regular rendezvous spot and is one of the most well-kept gardens in the city, the traces of Bhagwan are pretty much everywhere. And even though most people had heard of the rumours, about curious things that happened inside the ashram, one could never be sure. For the outsiders, Osho’s world was dripping with spiritual and religious wisdom.
However, with Wild Wild Country, those on the periphery, although a tad late, got access to the inner workings of the cult. Even though the docuseries is about Osho, the spotlight is on Ma Anand Sheela - Osho’s personal assistant and manager of sorts who pretty much led his successful takeover of and settlement in Oregon, USA. Wild Wild Country, without a doubt, is an excellent work of filmography and research. However, one can’t help but deny that the six episode series, with every episode going on for more than hour, was kind of tedious to watch.
Which is why when Priyanka Chopra announced that she’s currently in the midst of producing and acting in a feature film adaption of Wild Wild Country with Academy Award-winning Director Barry Levinson, something inside me squealed with joy. Chopra made the announcement on Wednesday 30th January 2018 during her appearance on The Ellen Show - the famous talk show hosted by Ellen DeGeneres.
“I’m developing a feature with Barry Levinson, iconic American director. We’re developing it as the character of Sheela who was this guru who originated form India, his [Osho] right hand woman, and she was just devious and created a whole cult in America, [she] brought people here”, Chopra said on The Ellen Show. She added that she will be both acting in and producing the adaptation.
While Priyanka Chopra did explicitly mention Ma Sheela’s character, she didn’t quite specify what exactly her own role in the film will be. Will Chopra bring alive the character of Ma Sheela yet again? If not, then who will? Only time will tell, it seems.
You can watch the announcement here.
Feature image credit: Willamette Week (L) and Popsugar (R)
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