Buddha Boy

A young boy in Nepal leaves his monastery, walks through war-torn villages, and begins meditating under a tree in the jungle. Days turn into weeks, then months. He neither eats nor drinks, drawing huge crowds who build a village around him. They call him Maitrya, the second coming of Buddha. As mass media picks up the story, his following grows. A Discovery Channel crew arrives, and his cult-like status explodes. After seven years, he breaks his silence, preaching peace and a borderless religion. But with fame comes darkness: girls go missing, violence erupts, a nun accuses him of rape, a Western devotee is held captive for months. In 2019, police raid his compound and uncover evidence suggesting bodies were disposed of or trafficked. Then, the Buddha Boy vanishes. Some say he hides. Others wait for his return — for justice, for answers, for meaning.