|
|
BY JM
Oh no, not again! Our throats are parched crying hoarse
for creative expression and stuff, but the ghosts of
extremism seem to have more tenacity than the one in
Exorcist. The world is taking a sharp right turn, buddy
-- just hold on and pray tight. Feel free to bring out
your creativity in the privacy of your home.
 Here
is the latest: Hollywood director Philippe Caland, whose
movie Hollywood Buddha is set to hit the US silver
screens on September 24, has landed into big trouble.
The movie, in which Caland himself stars as the
protagonist, portrsys a failed Hollywood director trying
to eke out a living with his unreleased movie called
"The Dead Girl". All Caland has for company in the movie
is a statue of Bhagwan Buddha, rented at $2000 a month.
Curiously, Caland did not get into trouble for the movie
per se, which has nothing against Buddhism. But the
movie posters showed a picture of Caland sitting on the
head of a statue of Buddha, his legs dangling over the
god figure's eyes.
No one even thought about the apparent insult to
Buddhism, till a Thai newspaper splashed the poster in
its front page, screaming "Insult to Buddhism". The
Buddhist clergy in Thailand -- a country dominated by
Buddhism -- woke up from slumber to protest against the
humiliation of of their faith. In Buddhism, the head is
considered to be the holiest part of the body and is not
touched by anyone, whereas the feet are considered the
least holy, which is never pointed at anyone.
The mere mortal's feet dangling over the God's eyes was
more dynamite than Caland imagined. The Buddhist
domination makes it difficult the Thai administartion to
ignore vociferous calls for banning the movie in the
country. At the time of writing this, there is no
decision yet on whether the country should stop the
Hollywod Buddha at its doors or let him in.
Caland had little choice but to make a quick backtrack
and tender an
unconditional apology. Almost immediately, the movie
producers Yellow Blue Green productions (YBG) pulled off
the poster from the homepage of the movie's website.
Dancewithshadows raced
to the site before Caland's techies did. Click here for
the controversial picture put up by Caland and company
before it was pulled out.
That was not all. On the website's homepage, Caland
wrote out a lengthy, unconditional apology to the
Buddhists of the world, falling at their feet and asking
for forgiveness. Here follows:
"I have made a movie called Hollywood Buddha, that
itself has only respect and admiration for the positive
power and great significance of the peaceful message of
the Buddha. Unfortunately, my ignorance as to the
acceptable depiction and use of the Buddha's image,
though in keeping with the character I play, in his
naivete and tendency to make wrong choices is quite
unacceptable and even highly disrespectful to the
practitioners of this important religous way of life.
This ignorance may be consistent with the characer I
play, but a terrible mistake on my part as I have only
respect for the Buddha and his revolutionary teaching."
With much chagrin, i have learned that, an advertsing
image for my film Hollywood Buddha has offended
Buddhists by depicting the main character me, sitting on
a Buddha statue. I have immediately initiated all steps
necessary to remove the image from ads everywhere it has
been used in the world. and I offer my deepest apology
for this inadvertent insult and disrespect. The image
was created by combining two photographs and and never
did anyone actually sit on a Buddha statue."
Further, I did not understand the image was offensive,
or I never would have allowed its use in any way. No
disrespect for Buddhist beliefs would be tolerated by me
or those I work with. The film never makes fun of
Buddhism or any religion, but instead shows how frauds
commercialize religion for their own gain. I have the
greatest respects for Buddhists and people of all faith
and peace and hope this apology begings to express my
regret for pain this image has caused." Sincerely,
Philippe Caland.
Ahem! The photographs may have been combined, or Caland
may have the highest respect for Buddhism or Jainism or
whatever but that is all beside the point. The point,
debated to exhaustion, is whether movies, images and
ideas should be held to ransom by thought police of any
kind. The last word is yet to be heard on whether
Thailand will admit the movie into the country. We think
it is unlikely.
As we finish writing this, we hear that an American
company had to withdraw its lunchboxes with pictures of
Hindu goddesses. The refrain is the same: the picture
insults the goddesses concerned. We never knew the
divine pantheon was so touchy. Gods' men in the world
claimed that "may be the lunchboxes will be used to
carry meat also". Huh! Anyway, the controversial lunch
boxes were immediately pulled off the shelves. A little
while before that, a company in UK had to pull off their
sandals which had pictures of Lord Ganesha. It hurt
Almighty Lord Ganesha real bad when mortals used
chappals with his picture. Welcome to the brave new era.
The cultural Khomeinis are waiting.
BY JM
|
The
magic begins! Read all about 
Peeping
Toms! Why do they do it?
FWD:
Jhelo this stuff! 