A new documentary spotlighting the Beatles' time in India with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in has been sold for worldwide distribution. Abacus Media Rights' documentary The Beatles And India will be shown on HBO Max for Latin America, BritBox North America for the U.S. and Canada, and Channel 4 for the UK. The doc promises, “Rare archival footage, an array of unseen recordings and photographs, eye-witness accounts, and stunning location shoots across India.” No air date has been announced.
Variety reported the doc, which covers the “Fab Four's” time in Rishikesh, India in early-1968, “Is based on Ajoy Bose's book, Across The Universe — The Beatles In India, and marks Bose’s directorial debut. The film is co-directed by Peter Compton and is produced by Reynold D’Silva, CEO of Silva Screen Music Group.”
The Beatles became indoctrinated into the Maharishi's practice of TM during the summer of 1967 and traveled to Rishikesh, India to study under him in February 1968. Although Ringo Starr left Rishikesh after only 10 days and Paul McCartney stayed for six weeks, John Lennon and George Harrison, along with their wives, stayed with the Maharishi for two months. Also studying with the Beatles were Donovan and the Beach Boys' Mike Love.
Lennon and the group left the Maharishi's compound after hearing rumors of Maharishi's supposed advances on some of the female TM practitioners, one of whom was allegedly actress Mia Farrow.
Photographer and author Paul Saltzman was barely out of his teens when he found himself studying with the Beatles in the Maharishi's ashram. He recalled to us watching Lennon and McCartney collaborating on a soon-to-be “White Album” classic: “I looked over and under Paul's toe, under his sandal was a little torn piece of paper. And I look over and in his handwriting it's 'Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da, bra/La-La how the life goes on.' And I'm sitting beside Ringo (Starr) — maybe five feet away from Paul — and they start singing it and really working with it. Only those words — only John and Paul. Ringo was just quietly listening.”
IN OTHER BEATLES NEWS
Paul McCartney just posted the teaser for his new book coming on November 2nd, titled, The Lyrics: 1956 To The Present by Paul McCartney.
In the new video, “Macca” chats with Bob Mortimer at the British Library, and gives the backstory on how a minor bike accident in Liverpool in late-1965, led to a meeting with a drunk doctor, who inspired part of the lyrics to 1968's “Rocky Raccoon.”