IndiaPost.com - Paramount accused of going back on promise to Hindus

NEW YORK: Paramount Pictures, presenters of upcoming Hollywood movie The Love Guru, appears to have 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 from the information available about the movie, it appears to be lampooning Hinduism and Hindus and using Hindu terms frivolously.

In a communiqué to Rajan Zed in March Jessica Rovins, Senior Vice President National Publicity of Paramount Pictures, wrote, "It is our full intention to screen the film for Rajan Zed and other Hindu leaders in the US 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 did not return the communiqués of Hindu leaders. Despite trying, Hindu leaders also could not get through to Paramount Vice Chairman Rob Moore and Chairman Brad Grey. 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 development and leaning towards further intensification and taking it to the streets. Meanwhile, furthering the drive pioneered by Zed, various organizations and leaders have been coming out expressing concern about the possibility of the movie 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. In a signed appeal the clergy said: "We have learnt that Paramount Pictures promised to screen the film to Hindu leaders once they had a finished print. We have also learnt that Paramount Pictures has now reportedly gone back on their promise and has not made any efforts to pre-screen the film for them before the public release, which is scheduled on June 20.

We were dismayed by learning this as Paramount Pictures and its parent company Viacom are leading global entertainment content companies and have a high reputation and credibility and are held in high esteem all over the world. Going back on promise is un-Christian, un-Hindu, un-Buddhist, un-Jewish, etc., besides being unethical. We urge Paramount Pictures to immediately make arrangements to organize advance screening of the movie and be positively responsive to the concerns of Hindu brothers regarding the content of the movie, who we hear are perturbed all over the world."

The signatories include: Right Reverend Gene Savoy Jr., Bishop of International Community of Christ and President of Nevada Clergy Association; Father Charles T. Durante, Roman Catholic Priest; Reverend Alan Dorway, Presbyterian leader; Rabbi Jonathan B. Freirich and Rabbi Elizabeth Beyer, both Jewish leaders; Swami Pooja Saraswati, Hindu/spiritual leader; Reverend Bill Bartlett, Buddhist leader. Meanwhile, Bhavna Shinde, representing Hindu Janjagruti Samiti and Sanatan Society for Scientific Spirituality, in a communiqué to Paramount said, "It implies that Paramount Pictures has gone back on its promise to Hindu leaders, something that is not expected from a respected global corporation like Paramount Pictures and their parent company, Viacom. At least the producers of 'The passion of Christ' movie had the decency to keep their promise to the clergy by holding advanced screenings for them."

"So far, the protest movement against this movie's denigration of sacred concepts of Hinduism is increasing, with thousands of Hindus and spiritual people from around the world joining in. However, Paramount Pictures' seeming 'about turn' on their promise to the Hindu community may cause the tolerant Hindu community to lose patience and we fear the protests coming to the streets against this movie", Shinde said in this communiqué and added, "We ask Paramount Pictures to promptly contact Rajan Zed to arrange the pre-screening of this movie for Hindu leaders."

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 are also gravitating towards taking the protest to the streets.