DEEPAK CHOPRA - CHOPRA DEFENDS LOVE GURU

As calls for a boycott of Mike Myers's new movie The Love Guru mount among members of the Hindu community in the U.S., the best-selling self-help author and spiritual teacher Deepak Chopra has not only come to the movie's defense but castigated its detractors. In an interview with the Associated Press, Chopra said that Mike Myers, who stars in the title role, "has the most profound understanding of Eastern wisdom, traditions and spirituality. ... In the end, the movie is about self-esteem and love. It is about, in fact, love being the ultimate truth. He goes about it in a very silly, humorous way, but that's his style." Rajad Zed, a self-described prominent Hindu and Indo-American leader, has mounted a letter-writing campaign against the film in which he has called on members of the National Association of Theatre Owners to refuse to show it (they turned him down), and has asked for the support of some prominent Christian ministers and Jewish rabbis (several have expressed sympathy). Zed has charged that, judging from the trailer, the film denigrates Hindu culture and "hurts the sentiments of Hindus worldwide." But Chopra called Zed's efforts "a cry for importance." He added, "Mike is bringing attention to some very profound truths and these people hav en't even seen the movie."

03/06/2008