Hindus urge Hollywood, not to re-imagine scriptures

Ashwin Shuddha Chaturdashi

Press Release

Hindus have urged the makers of newly announced Hollywood movie "Ramayan 3392 A.D." to stay true to the story and the spirit of the timeless epic.

Acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that Ramayan was a highly revered scripture of Hinduism. Hollywood was welcome to make a movie about Ramayan but the final product should be the true depiction of it and not a fantasized or a re-imagined version.

Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, said that changing Ramayan to fit the Hollywood machine were likely to hurt the Hindu sentiments, Ramayan had been venerated for thousands of years and we believe that it would continue to be revered in 3392 AD.

Hinduism was 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. No faith, larger or smaller, should be plundered, Rajan Zed said and added that pillaging and inappropriate use of Hindu scriptures and serious spiritual doctrines for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurt the devotees.

Zed further said that Ramayan was an integral part of Hinduism and was held in such reverence that Hindus believed that simply reading/hearing of it showered blessings upon the reader/listener. Ram, the hero of Ramayan, was incarnation of Lord Vishnu, and was worshipped by Hindus.

Hindus welcomed Hollywood to immerse in Hinduism but taking it seriously and respectfully and not for refashioning Hinduism concepts and symbols for mercantile greed. Hindus would gladly provide genuine Hollywood seekers the resources they needed for their study and research, Zed pointed out.

Ramayan, an ancient Sanskrit scripture that consists of 24,000 stanzas, explores various themes, including human existence, concept of dharma, etc.

Mandalay Pictures, Mark Canton and Liquid Comics  have teamed up to make this movie.  Mandalay Pictures (of Mandalay Entertainment Group, Los Angeles) is a motion picture company which finances, produces and distributes motion pictures for the global marketplace. Donnie Brasco, starring Al Pacino, is one of the 12 pictures from Mandalay. Liquid Comics has completed the management buyout of Virgin Comics and it has announced "to continue to develop innovative digital, film, animation, and gaming projects". Mark Canton, besides others, produced controversial movie "300", an R-rated film about Battle of Thermopylae, set around 480 BCE.

Also See

1. Learn Hinduism
2. Hindu Dharmajagruti Sabha