The trailer for Mike Myers’ The Love Guru was released earlier this week and it did not make everyone laugh. A Hindu organization, Universal Society of Hinduism, has demanded that the film be shown to Hindu leaders and organizations prior to its public release. The reason:

Rajan Zed, prominent Indo-American leader and President of the Society, said that from the information available about the movie, it appears to be lampooning Hinduism and Hindus and using Hindu terms frivolously.

There have been issues with religion and movies before, most recently with The Golden Compass, and again with Mel Gibson’s Passion Of The Christ back in 2004. To my knowledge the only thing gained from it was more publicity for the film. I don’t know what the Hindu leaders can do, apart from possibly get a free early screening. The studios have spent millions making the movie and they will release it whether it upsets people or not.

The email I received pointed out that:

Hinduism is the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion followers and a rich philosophical thought, and it should not be taken lightly

Do Paramount want to piss off one billion people? Will those one million people have gone to see The Love Guru anyway? Do you think the Universal Society of Hinduism is over-reacting or do they have a right to be annoyed that a movie is turning their religion into a romantic comedy staring Jessica Alba?

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