Hindu Leader Rajan Zed

Special to Earthpages.org

Intensifying the protest campaign against the upcoming Hollywood movie “The Love Guru”, Hindus have floated an online signature drive.

Advancing the movement launched by acclaimed Hindu leader Rajan Zed, this signature drive sends protest e-mails to Motion Picture Association of America, Paramount Pictures (presenters of “The Love Guru”), National Association of Theatre Owners, Indian Censor Board, and other authorities across the world. When someone registers for this drive, it automatically sends protest mail to these organizations.

“…In this film, the sacred relationship between Guru and disciple has been ridiculed…The parody on Gurus will contribute to the misunderstanding about the sacred concept of the ‘Guru’…”, the protest message says.

First day of this campaign registered about 2,500 protesters, according to Bhavna Shinde, Hindu leader affiliated with this campaign.

Meanwhile, furthering the drive pioneered by Indo-American leader Rajan Zed, various organizations and leaders have been coming out expressing concern about the possibility of “The Love Guru” hurting the sentiments of Hindus worldwide and urging filmmakers to be more responsible when handling faith related subjects. Zed has been saying that from the information available about the movie, it appears to be lampooning Hinduism and Hindus and using Hindu terms frivolously. Various Hindu, Catholic, Presbyterian, Jewish, Native American, Methodist, Buddhist, youth, film, spiritual/religious, music, yoga, civil rights, etc., leaders have already issued statements in support of this cause espoused by Rajan Zed.

On the other hand, Hindu groups have recently been approaching film distributors associations, exhibitors groups, regulatory bodies, government ministries, theater owners, etc., in various parts of the world urging them not to distribute/screen “The Love Guru” till Paramount Pictures makes necessary changes to it. 

Paramount Pictures, through its Senior Vice President National Publicity, Jessica Rovins, has earlier stated, “It is our full intention to screen the film for Rajan Zed and other Hindu leaders in the U.S. once we have a finished print.”

It may be recalled here that advance screenings of Mel Gibson’s 2004 movie “The Passion of the Christ” were held for clergy and others.

“The Love Guru”; a comedy starring Mike Myers (of Austin Powers fame, who is also the co-writer and co-producer), Jessica Alba, Justin Timberlake, Ben Kingsley; and directed by Marco Schnabel; is set to release on June 20 next. In it Myers, an American, raised in an ashram in India, moves back to US as Guru Pitka to seek fame and fortune in the world of self-help and spirituality.

Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion followers. Moksha (liberation) is the ultimate goal of Hinduism.

Paramount Pictures Corporation, a Viacom brand, is a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment.