Sheela

The figure of Sheela Birnstiel (Baroda, India, 1949), also known as Ma Anand Shïla, has become known worldwide thanks to Wild Wild Country (Netflix, 2018), a documentary series that looks at her key role in the development of the cult of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (later known as Osho) and addresses issues such as conspiracies, alternative post-hippy religious cults and culture shock, among many others. After growing up in India, her parents sent her to study at Montclair State University, in the United States. On her return in 1972, she came into contact with the Indian guru Bhagwan. The rest is history and is told in the documentary. As his personal secretary, Sheela was in charge, as of 1981, of implementing the huge experiment that prompted the collective to buy a 260 km² ranch in Oregon, in the States, to set up a vast commune with its own laws. There she became a charismatic and controversial media figure, the visible face of confrontation with the former inhabitants of that region, first, and then with the US authorities. This confrontation led to 29 months’ imprisonment, accused of several of the activities carried out in the community. She is currently resident in Switzerland, where she runs two homes for the elderly. Her participation in Primera Persona presents in all its complexity this iconic character in a series that has made her a global phenomenon, but with many nuances. And, most of all, a fascinating life story straight out of a novel.