Apple TV has announced a new three-part true crime docuseries titled “Twisted Yoga,” set to premiere globally on March 13, 2026.
The series comes from acclaimed filmmakers at Lightbox Entertainment, in association with Ladywell Films. It is produced by two-time Academy Award-winning producer Simon Chinn (known for “Man on Wire” and “Searching for Sugar Man”), Emmy Award winner Jonathan Chinn (“Tina,” “LA 92”), Suzanne Lavery (“Curse of the Chippendales,” “The Diamond Heist”), and Bernadette Higgins (“The Tinder Swindler,” “American Nightmare”). Rowan Deacon (“Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story,” “How to Die: Simon’s Choice”) directs the project. Simon Chinn, Jonathan Chinn, Lavery, and Higgins serve as executive producers.
“Twisted Yoga” explores the experiences of young yoga students from around the world who were initially attracted to the ancient practice in search of inner peace and purpose. They became involved with an international network of yoga studios led by reclusive Romanian “guru” Gregorian Bivolaru, which specialized in tantric rituals.
“Twisted Yoga” follows a group of young yoga students from around the world drawn to the ancient practice in search of inner peace and purpose, only to fall under the influence of reclusive Romanian “guru” Gregorian Bivolaru, the spiritual leader of an international network of yoga studios specializing in tantric rituals. As they begin to fear they’ve joined a cult, they discover that Bivolaru, who often summoned select female students to his Paris apartment for private initiations, has a dark past. Bivolaru now faces charges in France, including human trafficking, kidnapping and rape — allegations he denies — as these women work with French authorities to convict him.
The docuseries features firsthand accounts from former members who speak out about their journeys from seeking wellness and community to fearing they had entered a cult, and their efforts to seek justice for alleged abuse and manipulation by the self-styled guru.
Apple TV simultaneously unveiled a trailer for the series ahead of its debut:
“Twisted Yoga” will be available to stream with all three episodes launching on premiere day. Apple TV continues to expand its lineup of original documentaries and true crime content, available on the Apple TV app across devices in over 100 countries.
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… and this is where India worked pretty fervently to push Yoga into Western medicine and health, with stretching and it’s physical benefits as well as mental.
It is the mental aspects and the mind where Yoga also introduces TM (eastern religion of transcendental mediation). This is a completely opposite type of meditation the Judeo-Christian model of medication (active mind, reading, thinking, praying – all active and refreshing and linear). TM, moves to mantras (repeating a word or phrase over and over), or a shutting down of the mind.
The brain is wired to move linearly so. But it can be “crashed” and/or forced to reboot if you will, once crashed or short circuited by not being allowed to move forward but be stuck in a loop or stopped.
The trailer starts with the woman speaking “surrender, surrender” and the question anyone should always ask “What am I willing surrender too?” Because once you can take out the conscious mind, the subconscious is very vulnerable to influence. Our brain and mind are designed to have conscious and subconscious, and that conscious is a huge self-preservative decision making tool. Remove it and, again, whomever is then in charge, it’s not likely to always end well… As with this cult.
If you are able to keep into the stretching Yoga, I know many, many, that do this for their health, age, back, you name it. It can be difficult and really beneficial. But most places will inject subtle Hinduism-like practices into their Yoga and the lines then blur to medication, vs just calming one’s self for the day, stretching and getting ready to go. Or falling more into the spiritual side of that meditation side and how far that goes for better or worse, and the vulnerabilities that will inevitably be there the deeper one goes. That I have seen personally over and over again with people.
The documentary is not likely to go into any dark spiritual matters, but more on the mental hold of this cultic guru, but it’s all intertwined.