Hare Rama Hare Krishna movie impact On ISKCON | Memories of Srila Prabhupada | Gopāl Kṛṣṇa Goswāmī

26 Oct 2021 · 3 min

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3:19

In this English recollection, the speaker describes how A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, after returning to India in the early 1970s, faced concerns that the popular 1973 Bollywood film Hare Rama Hare Krishna would tarnish the newly‑emerging Hare Krishna movement. The film featured the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra prominently, but also linked chanting with drug use, creating a potential reputational risk. When the speaker warned Prabhupada that the movie could give the movement a bad name, Prabhupada responded calmly, asserting that the mantra’s exposure would ultimately purify listeners and that nothing would be lost. The speaker later recounts a personal anecdote: a Western devotee, initiated decades later, recalled hearing the mantra in that very film as a child, which planted a seed of Krishna consciousness that eventually led to his initiation. The narrative underscores Prabhupada’s confidence in the power of the Holy Name and illustrates how popular culture can unintentionally serve as a vehicle for spiritual outreach.

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English. Prabhupāda came to India with his Western disciples, I believe in 1971 or something. Anyway, they created a big stir. Prabhupāda held festivals. In major cities of India. These festivals were attended by over 30,000 people. So taking advantage of the popularity of the Hare Krishna movement, one leading movie star in India made a movie called Hare Rama Hare Krishna. The movie was a big hit in India. It was a super hit. The positive thing in the movie was the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra was being played in the background in the whole movie. And they had a song which said, which had the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. But the weak point in the movie was it showed that devotees take drugs, then they feel high, and then they chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. So this movie was released in India in 1973. So at that time I was residing in America, but I had just come to India for a holiday. So I met Prabhupāda in Akāśa Ganga, and I told him, Śrīla Prabhupāda, this movie is going to give our movement a bad name. Our movement was brand new in India at that time. And I said, "This movie is showing that we chant Hare Krishna and people take drugs, so that will spoil our image." Prabhupāda was totally undisturbed. He said, "Nothing will be lost. People will hear the Hare Krishna mantra and get purified. Don't worry." And very interestingly, about 3 years ago, I initiated a devotee in America, and I asked him, "How did you join the movement?" So he told me when he was a young kid, there was a movie released called Hare Rama Hare Krishna, and he heard the Hare Krishna mantra in that movie. And after that, he fell in love with this mantra, and he would go everywhere where he could hear this song that was a big hit. But that movie planted the seed of Kṛṣṇa consciousness in his heart, and 25 years later, or 35 years later, he got initiated. So what Prabhupāda said was right. People will hear the Holy Name and benefit. Prabhupāda is always right. We should know that.