Documentary on yoga captures its poetry and grace

New Delhi: As India flexes its soft power by popularising yoga in the run-up to the International Yoga Day on June 21, a filmmaker and art historian has captured the poetry and grace of yoga and of the world of nature in a 52-minute documentary.

“We live in a world torn by strife, violence, confusion, drug-abuse and a medical system which is too commercial and exploitative. One of the best answers to the problems and ills of the modern world is yoga. Yoga helps us to understand ourselves and puts us in the driver’s seat regarding our own health which,” says Deli-based filmmaker and art historian Benoy K. Behl (62).

“The film is the result of five years of research and video shooting of yoga in India, the US, Germany, Bahamas, Costa Rica, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, Vietnam, China and Japan,” said Mr Behl, whose photographic exhibitions and short films on yoga have been shown around the world since the inception of the International Day of Yoga in 2015. Mr Behl, travelled with his associate director Sujata Chatterji to 26 cities across 11 countries for the film on yoga, is now preparing to organise a screening of the documentary in Delhi.

The widely travelled photographer and filmmaker who has earlier shot short films for the ministry of external affairs, said, “The visual treatment of my new film has captured the poetry and grace of yoga and of the world of nature.”

The film has interviews with leading medical practitioners, who speak in objective and scientific terms about the positive benefits of yoga. Views of leading exponents of yoga, as well as with academicians and students of yoga have also been captured.

He has also started working beautiful large-format book “Yoga: India’s Gift to the World”, with more than 150 photographs of yoga demonstrated by the best practitioners around the world.

“I expect this to be a visual treat and my most beautiful book till today. The book will also have photographs of elderly persons doing yoga,” said Mr Behl.