[Imc-sydney] For publication/broadcast: Australia-wide boycott call of “The Love Guru” proved effective, Hindus emphasize

[Rajan Zed]

*For favor of publication/broadcasting*

* *

*Australia-wide boycott call of "The Love Guru" proved effective, Hindus
emphasize*

* *

The Australia-wide boycott call of Hindus against Hollywood movie "The Love
Guru" for lampooning Hinduism has been very effective, contributing to its
blunt failure at the box office, Rajan Zed, acclaimed Hindu leader,
announced today.



Zed, who is the president of Universal Society of Hinduism and who
spearheaded the protest movement against "The Love Guru" starting in March,
stated that although various issues contributed to its failure, but the
boycott was one of the major factors. According to reports, many Hindus as
well as non-Hindus have been shunning this movie in Australia, where it was
released on July 10.



"The Love Guru" debuted at number four at the Australia box office on its
July 10 release, taking just about 1.5 million Australian dollars on its
opening week. The film has taken a gross total of just about $2.2 million in
Australia the three weeks since its release. Phyllida Lloyd's comedy musical
"Mama Mia!" was released the same weekend and has so far taken a gross total
of about $18.5 million for the same time in Australia.



Rajan Zed thanked the Australian filmgoers for having a feel for the pain of
Hindu brothers-sisters by rebuffing "The Love Guru".



It will reportedly face boycotts in various countries where it will be
released in the near future. Protests are reportedly being planned in India
on its release there by various organizations including Hindu Alliance of
India, Shri Ramayan Pracharini Sabha, India Heritage Panel, etc. Hindu
Janajagruti Samiti has launched a worldwide protest drive. A Canadian Hindu
group is also promoting the worldwide boycott. A prominent Jewish Rabbi,
Elizabeth W. Beyer of Nevada (USA), has also called for boycott of "The Love
Guru" because it "…lampoons Hinduism, mocks Ashram life and Hindu
philosophy…"



Rajan Zed argued that this movie was pure and blatant ridiculing of
Hinduism, the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one
billion followers and a rich philosophical thought. No faith, larger or
smaller, should be ridiculed at. Today it was Hinduism, tomorrow Hollywood
might attempt to denigrate another religion/denomination, he said while
urging other people of faith (besides Hindus) also to boycott the movie.



Meanwhile, signature campaign launched by Hindu groups against "The Love
Guru" has crossed the 6,900 mark. 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.


Zed lauded various non-Hindu groups for their support gestures. Nevada
Clergy Association has been supportive to the cause and has said, "Hollywood
should be more conscious while handling faith related subjects." Daisy Khan,
Executive Director of American Society for Muslim Advancement, commented, "I
stand with many of my Hindu brothers and sisters. I will not watch this
movie." Dwight N. Hopkins, Professor of Theology at the University of
Chicago Divinity School, has said about the movie, "It exhibits the
bodacious, repulsive, iconoclastic, sophomoric, insulting, stereotyping, and
illogicality…"

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has declared "The Love Guru"
"morally offensive" and slapped it with its highest rating "O". "Preview
Online", which calls itself  "informative tool for Christian parents and
moviegoers", gave it Morality Rating of  –4 (Dangerous), which is lowest of
five categories, highest being +4. "Christian Spotlight on Entertainment"
gave it a Moral Rating of "Very Offensive". Crosswalk, a Christ-centered
corporation, wrote in the movie review, "…slew of seriously wince-inducing
jabs at India's culture (horrible, even when meant in fun)…"**

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