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Washington, Aug 6 (ANI): Acclaimed Hindu and Indo-American leader, Rajan Zed, today announced that the UK-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. Zed, who is the president of Universal Society of Hinduism and who spearheaded the protest movement against the movie 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 UK, where it was released on August 1. “The Love Guru” debuted at number 3 at the UK box office on its August 1 release, taking just about 499 thousand pounds on its opening weekend.
Chris Carter’’s sci-fi “The X Files: I Want to Believe” was released the same weekend and took about 887 thousand pounds for the same time in UK.
Even the animation movie “Space Chimps”, also released on August 1, came out higher at box office than “The Love Guru”. Rajan Zed thanked the UK 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 and India Heritage Panel.
Hindu Janajagruti Samiti has launched a worldwide protest drive. A Canadian Hindu group was 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. Meanwhile, signature campaign launched by Hindu groups against “The Love Guru” has crossed the 7,000 mark.
Various Hindu, Catholic, Presbyterian, Jewish, Native American, Methodist, Buddhist, youth, film, spiritual orreligious, music, yoga and civil rights leaders have already issued statements in support of this cause espoused by 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, said, “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).” (ANI)