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Paramount to screen "The Love Guru" for Zed and other Hindu leaders

Paramount Pictures has agreed to screen upcoming Hollywood movie "The Love Guru" for Hindu leaders.

In a communiqué today to prominent Indo-American leader Rajan Zed who is the president of Universal Society of Hinduism (USH); Jessica Rovins, Senior Vice President National Publicity of Paramount Pictures, wrote: "The Love Guru - which is still in post-production - is a satire created in the same spirit as Austin Powers. Along with Mike Myers, the film stars Jessica Alba, Verne Troyer, Justin Timberlake, Romany Malco, Deepak Chopra and Manu Narayan (who comes from a Hindu background). It is our full intention to screen the film for Rajan Zed and other Hindu leaders in the U.S. once we have a finished print." Rovins is publicist on this film.

Meanwhile, pre-release clearance of "The Love Guru" by Hindu representatives has been gaining ground. Lila D. Sharma, President of India Heritage Panel, in a statement issued at Chandigarh (India), asked its makers to "secure clean chit from Hindu leaders before its June release". "Hollywood is trying to make money by laughing at our holy men and in the process creating a stereotype," Sharma added.

USH has earlier said that from the information available about the movie, it appeared to be lampooning Hinduism and Hindus and using Hindu terms frivolously. Its president Rajan Zed has been demanding that it be shown to Hindu representatives prior to its public release.

"The Love Guru"; a comedy starring Mike Myers (of Austin Powers fame, who is also the co-writer and co-producer), Jessica Alba, Justin Timberlake, Ben Kingsley; and directed by Marco Schnabel; is set to release on June 20 next. The film is not yet rated. "His Karma is huge" is its tagline. In it Myers, an American, raised in an ashram in India, moves back to US as Guru Pitka to seek fame and fortune in the world of self-help and spirituality.

Universal Society of Hinduism aims at providing worldwide Hindu identity, enhancing understanding of Hinduism, and fostering interreligious dialogue.

Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion followers. Moksha (liberation) is the ultimate goal of Hinduism.

Paramount Pictures Corporation is a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment.