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Documentary shows Hindu school indoctrinating boys in Varanasi
A new documentary, 'Disciples', reveals how a prestigious Hindu school in Varanasi, India, indoctrinates young boys with sectarian and Islamophobic beliefs. Directed by Pankaj Johar and Sunaina Kapoor, the film centers on…
A new documentary, 'Disciples', reveals how a prestigious Hindu school in Varanasi, India, indoctrinates young boys with sectarian and Islamophobic beliefs. Directed by Pankaj Johar and Sunaina Kapoor, the film centers on Vidya Mutth, where spiritual leader Guru Avimuktesh advocates abolishing religious freedom and calls for Indian Muslims to convert to Hinduism or leave for Pakistan.
The film follows two new students, Satyarth and Hari, as they undergo daily routines focused on Sanskrit classes, which serve religious dogmatism rather than linguistic tradition. Guru Avimuktesh preaches casteist and intolerant ideas as fact. The school, while strict on Hindu teachings, neglects students' mental and physical wellbeing, with lavish celebrations contrasting against ramshackle living quarters.
Over months, once-gentle Hari begins parroting the guru's ideology with conviction. The documentary, using observational vignettes, sounds an alarm about a generation growing up under the spell of extremism in India.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The film targets a specific mechanism: the combination of elite education and religious extremism, a growing concern in parts of India where gurukul-style schools mix with political Hindutva. Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's constituency, adds political weight. The school's influence extends beyond its walls, parents' anxiety to secure admission reflects deep social aspiration. The documentary questions how cultural preservation becomes a cover for intolerance. With rising communal tensions, the film's depiction of caste and anti-Muslim rhetoric in an educational setting is particularly pointed. The next step is whether the film reaches wider audiences in India, where censorship and political pressure on content remain active issues.
Source: theguardian.com
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