In 1970, a young musician named Jeffrey Kagel walked away from the American dream of rock ’n’ roll stardom — turning down the lead singer slot in the band that would become Blue Oyster Cult. He sold all his possessions and moved from the suburbs of New York to the foothills of the Himalayas in search of happiness and a little-known saint named Neem Karoli Baba (or Maharaji).
“One Track Heart: The Story of Krishna Das” follows Kagel’s journey to India and back, his struggles with depression and drug abuse, and his eventual emergence as Krishna Das — the world-renowned spiritual teacher, chant master and Grammy-nominated recording artist.
Featuring interviews with “Be Here Now” author and spiritual guru Ram Dass, Grammy-winning producer Rick Rubin (Beastie Boys, Metallica, Johnny Cash), New York Times bestselling author Sharon Salzberg, and two-time Pulitzer Prize nominee Daniel Goleman, as well as a score by Dinosaur Jr.’s J Mascis and Devadas, “One Track Heart” is the inspiring story of how one man’s journey continues to transform countless lives.
“I first met Krishna Das at a time when I was rather burnt out with the entertainment industry and looking for more meaning and direction in the things I was doing with my life,” said director Jeremy Frindel. “Chanting with him and hearing the stories of his time in India with his guru had a powerful effect on me and what I thought it was possible to do with my life. It has been a dream project to be able to dive deep into his world, and the world of Maharaji and his devotees, and to have the opportunity to tell his story and share it with people who might not be familiar with him.”
“I wanted to look at Krishna Das as a human being, as a character, and not as a spiritual teacher. And his life has been so dynamic, with rather extreme highs and lows, that an almost mythic arc presented itself as I was finding a shape and form during the edit. And through his life, his music and the incredible people who were interviewed for the movie, I hope this devotion and deep love comes through in the viewing experience,” added Frindel.
Meet Jeremy Frindel at this special encore of “One Track Heart” and enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at the documentary and the making of the film in the Q&A sessions following both screenings.