THE creation of a documentary movie about S N Goenka, a leading teacher of Vipassana (insight) meditation, is well underway, with about 60 percent of the taping complete, said an official from the Dhamma Joti Vipassana Meditation Centre.

Sayagyi Goenka himself is being played by U Min Chit Thu, a famous composer, under the direction of U Lu Min Kaung.

The making of the documentary is being sponsored by Daw Sein Sein, the former president of the centre’s administration department.

“I got the idea of making a dramatic documentary of Sayagyi when I watched the documentary of the Venerable Ledi Sayadaw on Myawaddy Television. It is a blessing I would like to offer,” she said.

She said the film will feature Myanmar scenes, culture and customs because Sayagyi cherished the country and its people.

“Many films about Sayagyi have been produced in India, but this film will be more attractive and interesting for us because it is mostly set in Myanmar,” she said.

“The previous films were based in India and merely included the life of Sayagyi here. We are trying to present most of his activities in Myanmar for this movie,” she said.

She said the whole project would cost about K30 million, a sum she herself will donate.

U Min Chit Thu said he would contribute his labour as director because he appreciated the gratitude of his Dhamma father.

He said the film would cover the life of Sayagyi, from his childhood experiences at Mandalay with his grandfather, to his business life as young man. It would portray his discovery of the power of meditation when he suffered from a severe headache, and his meeting with Sayagyi U Ba Khin. After this he received his mission to spread Dhamma (teachings of Buddha) throughout the world, culminating in his construction of the Global Vipassana Pagoda in Mumbai, India.

“I felt startled as well as elated when I was chosen to shoot the film from among many famous directors. I really felt I was capable of doing this,” he said.

U Min Chit Thu said he was confident in his work, but worries whether he can present the right theme of the true Dhamma in film, though he is familiar with meditation.

“The film is about the well-known Dhamma teacher, Sayagyi Goenka, and his idea of spreading Dhamma is central to it,” he said.

He said it was essential for the producers and all others participating in the film to familiarise themselves with the Dhamma.

“It would be very hard for people not familiar with the Dhamma to direct and present such a documentary,” he said.

Directing the famous Dhamma teacher is an important project for him, and he had researched the facts from books by Pariagu and U Ko Lay. “The facts in the film must be accurate because the movie will be shown to Dhamma students all over the world.”

“I am doing this for the people’s sake and by the good force of Dhamma, the film will be excellent and Dhamma will bless it,” he said.

He said the later parts of the film will be completed at the offering ceremony of an ornamental metal umbrella (hti) to the Global Vipassana Pagoda in India in February.