Why should anybody worry about a movie? After all, movies are the only media which is strictly democratic- we all will see a movie only if we like it. Movies should be allowed to portrait all aspects including criticizing the bad and the uncivilized acts practiced within communities. Movies should make fun of the so called ‘Gurus’ who claim to know everything and taking advantage of innocent spiritual seekers. Movies should criticize and indirectly point to the unethical and misguiding practices within communities.

I am a Hindu too, in both the aspects- if it is a religion or if it represents the people living in a specific region of the world. If it is a religion, it does not belong to anybody. There are no founders or hierarchies in it. The only hierarchy in it is between you and God, and which will also disappear when you become a Brahmin. The term Brahmin refers to a person who knows Brahman- the Supreme Soul or God and knows that the Supreme Soul and she or he is the same. An extension of this property will immediately lead that you and the other person next to you are the same. If you and others in this planet are the same, how can you distinguish yourself as a different category?

So, who are the so called ‘Hindu Leaders’?

Ganga Palakkattil

i believe one of the best ways to ease tension and make one's beliefs inviting is to make fun of them, or at least laugh when someone else does. i'm not saying we all need to deprecate our religions, but a great way to show true maturity and enlightenment is to be able to poke fun at yourself. by insisting that paramount pictures issue a "study guide", they could simply have been suggesting further reading about the subject matter for fairness' sake. however, by being so offended by this, the said people are simply making their paths seem backward and undesirable for seekers, and are making themselves look far too self-concerned. this is hollywood, not a hindu ashram in india - what did they expect?

I just watched the trailer. It just goes to show that we are truly living in the Kali Yuga. It looks like a uniquely stupid movie. Perhaps it is more of a commentary on American society than on the Indian tradition. If nothing else, it shows that India "has arrived" to the mass culture.

Stupid movies will always be there. I just wish there were more access to quality films on Indian's yogic tradition. The Yogis of Tibet is a nice movie. However, even there, the Indian Yogi is portrayed as a sort of circus performer compared to the Tibetan Yogi. Why is this?

The trailers for "The Love Guru" make it look like it is a commentary on how Americans want to commercialize everything. Here we try to differentiate yoga into many categories so we can get trade marks to make more money for ourselves. People take ideas from ancient wisdom and sell them as their own. Marketers use sexy models with little clothing to sell this spiritual practice to the general population. It is no wonder that Hindus don't like the movie or how we potray such a beautiful part of their heritage. In one trailer I saw, the guru says that it is his own unique religion. So even though I see how they would be upset the movie is making fun of US not them.

Maybe this movie is just the medium for people to seek out a Guru and truely find enlightenment.

Love and peace are the ultimate goals of humanity. I believe that the film industry should represent these goals by kindness and compassion, and I do not see mockery as a method in which to inspire this great achievement in the hearts of mankind. All should be loved as dear family, even those who hurt us most. I am not of the Hindu faith, but I have been mocked before for my beliefs, so to those of you who are Hindu and are offended at this film, I feel your pain.
I think that the best way for the Hindu leaders to demonstrate in regards to the film is by acts of kindness toward those who offended them. A letter of love and peace, words that are a symphony of understanding and compassion, then, and only then, will gardens of love return.
Blessings, peace, and sunshine in your life!

It is so refreshing to see such compassion and thoughfulness in these blog comments. I was sure than when I clicked to look at the comments I would find angry posts denouncing Mike Myers movie. I apologize for my prejudice. I should have known that yogis would be more balanced than that.

I am new to the yoga community and the Hindu faith. I became a yoga teacher last summer at an ashram in Boulder (home of YJ) and now teach part-time in Wyoming. Even in the short time I have been exposed to the Hindu faith there are many beliefs that I connected with. While I am not a practicing Hindu, I try to incorporate these connections into my life, my practice and my classes.

I agree with many of the other comments, this movie is more a reflection of American's obsession with capitalism than it is about the Hindu faith or its followers. Americans like charicatures, we like mockery and we like parody. It's nothing personal, everything is fair game, sometimes it seems like the more taboo the better. I think laughter helps us achieve a calm that enables us to connect with the world and Shiva. I think the real concern for some Hindus is that this will be some Americans first and only experience with the Hindu faith and this will define Hindus for some. I hope not too. I hope Americans are smarter than that.

Melissa

This just in:

Washington, June 7 (ANI): Paramount Pictures, presenters of upcoming Hollywood movie “The Love Guru”, has apparently gone back on its promise to pre-screen the movie for Hindu leaders.

This has further agitated the protesting Hindus who have now vowed to intensify their campaign against the movie.

Rajan Zed, acclaimed Hindu leader, who spearheaded this drive, has been saying that the information available on the movie appears to be lampooning Hinduism and Hindus.

Jessica Rovins, Senior Vice President National Publicity of Paramount Pictures, in a communique to Rajan Zed in March said, “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.”

Hindu groups have been repeating the same statement in the media since then without any denial or contradictory statement from Paramount, thus concluding that Paramount was going to stand by its words.

Attempts by Hindu groups to reach Paramount executives during the last few weeks have been futile, as Rovins and her boss Executive Vice President Michael Vollman have not returned the communiques of Hindu leaders.

Prominent Indo-American leader Rajan Zed has said that it was shocking to see a company like Paramount, a brand of Viacom (leading global entertainment content company), which is held in high esteem world over and is known for its credibility and clean business practices, apparently going back on its word. It is like sending the message that Paramount does not care about the feelings of one billion Hindus of the world. Hinduism is the oldest and third largest religion of the world with a rich philosophical thought, and it should not be taken lightly, Zed stresses.

Hindu groups are re-planning their agitation in view of this recent development. The apparent breaking of the promise by Paramount has angered various other Hindu leaders also, including Jawahar L. Khurana, Chairperson of Hindu Alliance of India; Rakesh Nagpal, General Secretary of Shri Ramayan Pracharini Sabha; Lila D. Sharma, President of India Heritage Panel; and Dharam Loonaa, Executive Director of the Universal Society of Hinduism (who have been supporting this cause espoused by Rajan Zed); and are also gravitating towards taking the protest to the streets.

Hindu groups have also contacted cinema/film related organizations worldwide urging them not to distribute/screen upcoming Hollywood movie “The Love Guru” till Paramount Pictures makes necessary changes to it, “so that it will not hurt the feelings of the worldwide spiritual and Hindu community.”

Hindu groups have contacted Federal Communications Commission (FCC) urging intervention in the matter. Hindus have also floated an online protest signature drive.

Meanwhile, various organisations 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. 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.

This is YogaDawg material in the real world!

Before everyone, especially the "hindu leaders' gets their knickers in a knot, read this story from Canada's (my country) Globe and Mail newspaper:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080614.myers14/BNStory/Entertainment/

Namaste