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Rajan Zed, the Hindu priest whose claim to fame was getting his prayers in the U.S.Senate interrupted by crazy Christians somehow has my email ID in his mailing list (DesiPundit is not exactly what it sounds like). I received the following email today morning:
Hindus are asking Paramount Pictures, presenter of Hollywood movie “The Love Guru”, and its parent Viacom, to include a video and a booklet about Hinduism and its tenets with its DVD version when it is launched in the market in the future.
Advancing the campaign launched by acclaimed Hindu leader Rajan Zed; Bhavna Shinde, representing Hindu Janjagruti Samiti and Sanatan Sanstha, in a communiqué to Viacom Founder Sumner M. Redstone, Paramount Chairman Brad Grey, and others, said, “‘The Love Guru’ ridicules Hinduism and has hurt the feelings of the Hindu community worldwide”.
She further stressed, “…to undo some of the damage done to the community by Paramount Pictures and Viacom through this movie, Paramount Pictures should (in consultation with acclaimed Hindu leader Rajan Zed)—produce a brief video about Hinduism and its tenets, and enclose it with ‘The Love Guru’ DVD, publish a small booklet about Hinduism and its tenets, enclose it with ‘The Love Guru’ DVD, attach a disclaimer at the beginning of ‘The Love Guru’ DVD”.
Meanwhile, to counter “the gross misrepresentation of the Guru-disciple relationship” in “The Love Guru”, Spiritual Science Research Foundation has announced holding interactive workshops across the world on “Who is a Guru” and to educate public about true Guru-disciple relationship around the occasion of coming Gurupurnima celebrations.
On the other hand, congratulating Rajan Zed for his successful campaign against this movie, Nevada Clergy Association has urged Paramount and Viacom to issue a general public apology over the “The Love Guru” issue, which, it says, “will help heal the wounds of seemingly perturbed one-billion-strong Hindu community”.
Zed, who is president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, and who launched campaign against this movie starting in March, has given a worldwide boycott call against it by Hindus and other religious people because it lampoons Hinduism and Hindu concepts and uses Hindu terms frivolously, saying, “Today it is Hinduism, tomorrow Hollywood might attempt to denigrate another religion/denomination.” A prominent Jewish Rabbi, Elizabeth W. Beyer of Nevada, has already called for boycott of “The Love Guru” because it “…lampoons Hinduism, mocks Ashram life and Hindu philosophy…”
“The Love Guru” (88 minutes), a comedy starring Mike Myers (of Austin Powers fame), opened June 20 in USA and Canada and will be released in different parts of the world in the near future. Leading global entertainment content company Viacom’s family of brands includes MTV, Paramount, DreamWorks, etc. Paramount Pictures Corporation is a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment.
First, I do not agree with the first line that starts off with Hindus as asking…simply because Rajan Zed and his ilk seek to represent so-called Hindu interests in the U.S. Second, I don’t believe Hinduism stands for any form of proselytizing or an awareness campaign inside the cover of an obviously badly made movie. Although judging by the trailers, I had initially thought the movie was funny but the trusted Tomatometer was highly offended by the movie but no one is advocating including a copy of Moviemaking for Dummies.
Judging by the disastrous box office collections of the movie ($29 million in 3 weeks), I doubt even one-hundedth of one percent of the ‘Hindu community worldwide’ has seen the movie much less be offended by it. The “wounds of seemingly perturbed one-billion-strong Hindu community” may have been inflicted by lack of humor more offense to their religious sentiments. I don’t understand why Rajan Zed if he genuinely cares for Hinduism would bother about raising a ruckus around a movie that everyone has already forgotten. Heck, Temple of Doom had much more ridiculousness to be offended about. I wish people would stop making a fuss about movies insulting their religion. If your religion is really that great then one asinine movie cannot even come close to doing “damage to the community”.
As far as I’m concerned, Mr.Zed I don’t approve of this insertion of Hinduism 101 inside the DVD cover. If you really respect your religion, you wouldn’t associate it with a badly made movie. Go get offended by Wall·E; then perhaps more people might read your little booklet.
by Patrix | on Wednesday, July 9th, 2008 at 4:17 pm | 
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July 9th, 2008 at 6:45 pm reply
How did they get that billion strong number from? Slightly unrelated..do atheists qualify for a minority quota in good old Indian politics?
July 9th, 2008 at 10:04 pm reply
Why can’t these so called Hindu leaders leave us to make our own choices? After all the greatness of Hinduism is in the freedom it gives the practitioners and believes that individuals are capable of making their own choices. Only individuals are to be aware of the choices that are available. One can believe in one god, two gods, many gods, shapeless gods, Vaishnavites or Shaibaites, or Shakti pujaks. In this instance we have many choices such as watch the movie, not watch the movie, or watch the movie and feel sorry for the ignorants who have so little or no knowledge of Hindu culture & philosophy of life or take it as it is ‘a spoof’. Where has the tolerance of Hindu society gone? Remember it allowed the zorostrianism to flourish in India, when it got wiped out from their own country of origin.
July 10th, 2008 at 12:00 am reply
In this film, the sacred relationship between Guru and disciple has been ridiculed. Guru-Disciple is an extra-ordinary relationship that depicts the highest principles and ethics. The parody on Gurus will contribute to the misunderstanding about the sacred concept of the ‘Guru’.
No one should offend feelings of others.
July 10th, 2008 at 8:28 am reply
I haven’t seen the movie but merely hearing Deshbhakta talk about it has offended my Hinduism. Sign me up for any effigy burning activities that are planned.
July 10th, 2008 at 10:44 am reply
Sqrlnt, I think they are counting the Hindus in India as well. Didn’t know that Rajan wanted to represent them as well. As far as minority quota for atheists goes, I wouldn’t count on it; the chances of us being burned at the stakes is higher.
Pat, I couldn’t agree more. It seems that these so-called Hindus are trying to indulge in ‘competition of intolerance’ and gain attention but are committing the same crimes that they accuse other religions of. I do consider Hinduism to be the most tolerant of the rest but religion by nature is intolerant and abhors any change especially by those who are in power or purport to have control over us.
Deshbhakta, shouldn’t you be called Hindubhakta? And the last I read your petition for protesting against the Love Guru got only 6000-odd signatures so I’m guessing that is a minuscule minority of the ‘billion-strong Hindu community’ and rest couldn’t care less. Taking offense has become our national pasttime and as gawker says, I’m offended by your offense-taking. I’m sure my petition can beat your petition :) Jai Hind, Jai Maharashtra, Jai MCCH Society, Jai Pincode 410206
gawker, you will be informed of any such activities by carrier pigeon. Please refrain from burning the messenger and be a doctor…I mean have patients :)
July 10th, 2008 at 7:25 pm reply
We never get any emails from him, where do I sign up? :-)
July 11th, 2008 at 12:49 pm reply
Santosh, I guess you don’t get enough spam. Let me forward you mine :)
July 11th, 2008 at 2:27 pm reply
Blogging about him seems a surefire way not to get his emails. I’m guessing emails to you will be discontinued as soon as Bhakta Prahalad up there goes back and reports to him.
July 11th, 2008 at 3:16 pm reply
Santosh, I guess good riddance then. But it is better to be constantly updated on their antics in order to call them out often.
July 16th, 2008 at 8:49 am reply
Pat, I have not seen the movie, nor have I read your whole post but I got the gist o fit. I guess you don’t have kids. It is difficult to teach a 6 year old to ignore his white friends racist ignorant comments. If you are teaching them to ignore all the time, you are raising a angry young man who is not confident to defend himself. Infact tell them not to ignore and educate the other ignorants….not everyone just whom you come in contact with.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:35 am reply
Your blog entry was very informative. Thanks for your effort. We have started a new site called FaithTube
(http://faithtu.be). It contains religious videos from all around the internet. If you could visit us then it would be great.
Thanks.
Simone.
August 5th, 2008 at 9:56 pm reply
No body has to give any certificate on Hinduism for it’s tolerance. It’s an eternal religion and it’s strength lies in the diversity of it’s constituents. The main issue with “Love Guru” is that it ridicules the faith of 2 million Indians in USA and I’m mainly concerned about the stereotypes that result in schools because of this movie.
Imagine someone in India (where Christians are in minority) makes a movie about Christianity with full of paedophile, child abuse and gay sex jokes. No one makes a movie there because Hindus give the same respect to all religions and many times they show Christianity in good light than Hinduism. Would you be concerned about those Christians parent’s children in the Indian schools or not?
As with many on this board have options of watching a movie, not watching a movie, I also suggest them they have the option of ignoring the email they received in their inbox. You don’t have to make a big cry about the email on this board.
August 5th, 2008 at 10:35 pm reply
west, dude or is it purab? How can you say tolerance and ‘ridicules the faith’ in the same breath? And yup, I would be all for a movie that makes fun of Christianity. Heck, they make such movies in the US and they aren’t even a minority here. And some kids in school will also be dicks and act like one so that doesn’t mean they were inspired by movies making fun of religion. Mankind has had that art perfected since ages. Perhaps religion taught them.
This board? Dude, this is what you call a personal blog. I read emails, get pissed off, write about it. If you don’t effin like it, take an effin hike.
August 5th, 2008 at 10:45 pm reply
Patrix lays the wood :-)
Going back to west’s comment:
Perhaps you should not “make a big cry about it” on someone else’s personal blog. Practice what you preach or something like that.