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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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