archive: Orgy And Bhagvad Gita Don't Mix!
Orgy And Bhagvad Gita Don't Mix!
A P Kamath in New York
Rediff on Net
July 24, 1999.
Title: Orgy And Bhagvad Gita Don't Mix!
Author: A P Kamath in New York
Publication: Rediff on Net
[http://www.rediff.com/news/1999/jul/24us3.htm]
Date: July 24, 1999.
Bad karma is catching up with the late Stanley Kubrick whose films
Lolita and A Clockwork Orange are perennial controversies. Now, his
latest film, Eyes Wide Shut, has offended the ears of Hindus.
The use of an Indian religious chant during the controversial orgy
scene in Kubrick's last film has so upset many Hindus in America that
they have started writing letters to Warner Bros, producer and
distributor of the film, asking for deletion of the chant from the
movie and withdrawal of its CDs.
The Hindu Students Council and many other groups are expected to join
the protest. Initially it will be a letter campaign and discussions
with Warner Bros, but if no results are achieved there could be
protests at movie theatres, some of the activists said.
Warner Bros had no comment about the protests.
"If we could succeed in getting Sony to withdraw an offensive cover of
a very popular CD, and if we could get Universal to give up showing an
episode of the television film Xena," said a New York student, Raja V
Gopal, "we should expect Warner Bros to listen to us -- and remove the
chanting from the film."
The critically acclaimed movie, which is expected to be a front-runner
for the Oscar nominations, grossed an impressive $ 29 million in its
opening week. It was the highest grossing film of the week. It is
playing in more than 2,000 movie houses in North America in its second
week and is expected to gross at least $100 million.
Kubrick had the final cut on the film, and rumours that Warner Bros
might make some alterations have been dispelled. The lead actor,
Hollywood star Tom Cruise, had said before the film's release that he
would oppose any changes from the final cut approved by Kubrick who
died a few months ago, soon after completing the film.
The soundtrack of the movie is among the 20 top-sellers in America;
nearly 300,000 copies have been sold in the last week. There are
reportedly 1 million CDs out in the market.
The orgy scene at the beginning of the movie has the recitation of the
verse from the Bhagvad Gita: Parithranaya Saadhunam Vinashaya cha
dushkrithaam Dharmasamsthabanarthaya Sambhavami yuge yuge...
Hindu activists believe Warner Bros could be persuaded to remove the
music from the movie. They remember how protests by thousands and by
the American Hindu Anti-Defamation Coalition forced Sony Music to
withdraw Aerosmith's Nine Lives CD two years ago. The CD jacket had
taken off on a traditional Hindu depiction of Lord Krishna subduing
the serpent Kalia, but showed Krishna with a cat's face and breasts.
The American Hindu Anti-Defamation Coalition had warned Columbia and
Sony that unless the offending jacket cover was withdrawn, it would be
forced to initiate worldwide action against the company. The coalition
had also stated its intention of taking Sony, Columbia Records and
Aerosmith to the federal court for permanent injunction and damages.
It also set up a Web site.
"Sony could not ignore thousands of messages from Hindus around the
world, and decided to stop the production of the said CD," a spokesman
for Sony had said. Sony then issued the album with another jacket.
A few months ago a spread in the popular magazine Vanity Fair led to
accusations that the actor Mike Myers mocked Hindu beliefs and
insulted the faith. Myers is one of the most popular of Hollywood
stars. His newest comedy, Austin Powers 2: The Spy Who Shagged Me, has
grossed a robust $ 190 million in the United States.
Shot by David LaChapelle, the pictures showed a partially shorn Myers
in robes, mehndi and bindi. Myers also had "Call my agent" painted
onto his hand and held a personal organiser displaying 'Om' in one
picture. In another he sat in the lotus position with an elongated
tongue like Kali, surrounded by naked, blue-skinned models and
Hanuman.
While some Hindus felt the photos were a parody and should not be
condemned, the protestors prevailed.
Though Vanity Fair did not withdraw the magazine, photographer
LaChappelle called the South Asian Journalists Association, whose
members had animatedly discussed the pictures, and apologised to the
Hindu community.
It is unique when an apology comes directly from a writer or artiste
and not an editor, Sreenath Sreenivasan, associate professor at
Columbia University and one of the founders of SAJA, said in an
interview.
Hindu groups in the US, Britain and Australia fought a successful
battle against the hit television series, Xena: Warrior Princess, a
few months ago. The production company first refused to meet the
protestors, but as the e-mail campaign began and the Indian
publications wrote extensively about it, it pulled in the offensive
instalment worldwide.
"It is a great victory not only for Hindus but for religious people of
all faiths," Tusta Krishnadas of the World Vaishnava Association had
said.
Renaissance Pictures, the producers of Xena, issued a statement
apologising for the offence, and stating that it had no plans for
other episodes involving Hindu deities. It noted, however, that a
Hindu individual had reviewed the original script, which Hindu
protestors said portrayed Lord Krishna and Hanuman as fictional
characters.
While Krishnadas told reporters he was pleased with the decision, he
was unhappy that Universal Studios, the distributor of Xena never
directly apologised to the Hindus.
"[They] continue to see Hindus and Hindu organisations that are
protesting against them as being unworthy of their attention," he had
said.
Now, he could go to war against Warner Bros, with his eyes wide open
and ears fully alert.
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