3 Apr 2008, 0028 hrs IST
,Chidanand Rajghatta,TNN
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WASHINGTON: "His karma is huge," say the promos, but his take on the Hindu dharma is offensive, say the critics. Stand by for yet another flaming controversy on religion and free expression. Weeks before the formal release of comedian Mike Myers' The Love Guru on June 20, some Hindu activists in the US are girding up to protest the movie's portrayal of their faith and its preachers. "From the information available about the movie, it appears to be lampooning Hinduism and Hindus and using Hindu terms frivolously," says Rajan Zed, a Hindu priest from Nevada who is at the forefront of the growing protests. Information there is aplenty - and depending on one's own outlook, you can either see it as a laugh-a-minute spoof of garden variety Hindu guru types or a deeply offensive parody of the faith. In trailers and promos posted on the film's website and on popular social networking sites, Myers is shown playing Guru Maurice Pitka, a 38-year-old, 5 feet 8 religious figure who greets people with the expression "Mariska Hargitay" and expounds pop philosophy. Pitka is an American purportedly raised by gurus in an ashram in India who returns to USA in order to break into the self-help business. His first challenge: To settle the romantic troubles and subsequent professional skid of a Toronto Maple Leafs hockey star (Myers is Canadian) whose wife has left him for a rival. The over-the-top portrayal of the Love Guru is embellished with quotes such as "Don't come a knockin', if the asana is a rockin' and impossible yoga postures. Myers heartily mocks several aspects of the guru business, including its emphasis on lineage (Pitka's guru is Guru Tugginmypudha played by Ben Kinglsey). Not funny, say Hindu priests. "Guru is never to be ridiculed under any circumstance. Respect for the giver of knowledge is a foundational and essential element found within Vedic culture," says Paradheya Das of Sri Krishna Vedic Cultural Association in Sacramento (California). Aware of the gathering storm, Paramount Pictures, the studio behind the movie, has promised a pre-screening for offended groups. Love Guru ... is a satire created in the same spirit as Austin Powers," Paramount said in a statement, noting that the film features spiritual teacher Deepak Chopra and Hindu actor Manu Narayan. "It is our full intention to screen the film for Rajan Zed and other Hindu leaders once it is ready." | ||
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