Press Play with Madeleine Brand
The rise and fall of the man behind Bikram Yoga
Bikram Choudhury created Bikram Yoga, a 26-pose routine performed in 100-degree rooms. At his peak, more than 600 yoga studios in the US bore his name.
By Madeleine Brand • • 1 min readBikram Choudhury created Bikram Yoga, a 26-pose routine performed in 100-degree rooms. At his peak, more than 600 yoga studios in the US bore his name. Choudhury could command more than $10,000 from every person who wanted to attend his training sessions. But six women ultimately accused Choudhury of sexual assault and harassment. The scandal destroyed his empire. It left hundreds of his devotees and those who built their businesses and livelihoods around his yoga reeling. That story is the focus of the latest season of ESPN’s 30 for 30 podcast series.
