The Beatles and India (2021) Movie Drinking Game
Down a Shot: every time George Harrison and Pandit Ravi Shankar speak about their bond via archival footage. A lot of the focus is on Harrison and his passionate attitude to both music and culture.
Down a Shot: whenever a relentless journalist or paparazzo spills secrets of the trade (eg: Secret code words that allowed them exclusive excess into the spiritual retreat which the band inhabited)
Down a Shot: Whenever LSD, hashish, or spirituality is mentioned (sometimes in the same sentence).
By: Vidal D’Costa (A Toast) –
As the title suggests, The Beatles and India is a documentary that opens a window into the exploitation of Indian culture as well as the celebration of the same by the Beatles. Be it the late George Harrison’s respect for classical music and musicians in India or the early years of the Beatles wherein a music video laden with ethnic stereotypes almost landed the band in hot water, to them growing to embrace the cultural facets once they let go of their ignorance of the same- this documentary addresses it all.
A Toast
The documentary may feel lengthy, but is never boring as it features plenty of vintage snippets from archival footage as well as live interviews featuring various subjects, colleagues, and family members of the band members, experts, etc. My personal favourite scenes in the documentary are the ones with footage of George Harrison and Pandit Ravi Shankar opening up about their platonic bond as teacher and student and their mutual respect and passion for music. These were the most wholesome moments for me and showcase a humble, non-commercial nature of both these late musicians, while also exploring the individuality of each band member. Also bless both their hearts, Harrison and maestro Ravi Shankar did try to break the stereotype of drug usage being related to either spirituality or sitar music!
However, the documentary is never overtly sweet and also excels at shedding light on dark moments in the life of the young band such as a very shady mystic who touched the lives of the awesome Foursome but later who they would denounce in one of their songs as a predator and a fraud (although Harrison was more forgiving later due to a mix of maturity, a strong personal connection to the country, and more hands-on exposure to the culture which never left him).
The Beatles and India also features many other such fascinating and controversial-sounding anecdotes and also benefits from filming at real-life locales. I also found the technique of overlaying early images of the location with more modern images of the same interesting since many of these places have fallen into decay yet are considered of great historical importance, and credit where credit is due, the hard work of the team behind this documentary needs to be applauded in scouring out all these locations after decades.
Familiar faces such as the current crop of Indian musicians and artistes such as filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, singer and songwriter Monica Dogra, and Bollywood singer and composer Benny Dayal all make appearances in the documentary and speak highly of the impact of the Beatles on Indian culture on both film and the current Indian music industry, particularly the British band’s incorporation of Indian music, philosophy, and spirituality in their work and their daily lives which ultimately inspired generations of singers in India to bring the same Beatle-esque style to their own music and which was ultimately instrumental in bringing post-colonial India out from under the shadow of the British Empire and in regaining its own identity in the process, simultaneously leading to Indian classical music gaining global fame, reverence, and recognition.
Music store owners and music teachers at boarding schools in India who had a first-hand experience of meeting the Beatles themselves or were privy to the soar in sales of traditional Indian musical instruments to the West after the Beatles’ trip to India also feature in the documentary, thus providing more in depth and insight.
Verdict
The Beatles and India is pretty straightforward in its narrative and makes for a compelling watch for Beatle maniacs and history buffs alike.
