On Sunday evening ITV1 is airing Children of the Cult, a documentary investigating the Rajneesh movement, one of the largest cults in the world during the 1970s and 1980s. Filmmaker Maroesja Perizonius, who grew up in a Rajneesh commune, leads the investigation, reconnecting with other former members to uncover disturbing truths about the movement’s hidden practices.
The film examines the unchecked abuses within the cult, particularly crimes against children, that persisted across more than 50 countries, including the UK. Despite its continued existence today, no one has been held accountable for these abuses, raising questions about how the movement’s founder, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, established a society with its own moral framework, allowing these atrocities to go unpunished.
In her revealing documentary, Maroesja challenges senior members of the Rajneesh movement, seeking explanations and justice.
Children of the Cult is produced as part of ITV’s award-winning Exposure series and airs at 10:20 PM on Sunday 13 October.
