Ban on song "Hare Rama Hare Krishna" from movie "Bhool Bhulaiyaa" for grave insult to Indian culture

The movie "Bhool Bhulaiyaa" slated to be released across India on October 12, 2007 has a grossly vulgar depiction of the pristine Indian culture through suggestive gestures and mimicry of Rama and Krishna by saffron-clad semi-nude girls and hero (Akshay Kumar) in front of statue of Buddha singing a prurient song with chants of "Hare Rama Hare Krishna". (http://www.satyavidya.org for details)

This is a serious affront to ethos of millions of Indians and even people living abroad who have huge respect for Rama, Krishna, Buddha. This can set untoward precedence and have damaging implications in future.

We, the law abiding citizens of earth, who have respect for Indian values seek intervention by Union of India and the Judiciary of the Land to prevent this mockery of our respected culture through song "Hare Rama Hare Krishna" of movie "Bhool Bhulaiyaa" on a priority basis on following grounds:

1. Semi-nude pant-less girls dancing suggestively wearing saffron tops with mantras written severely maligns our culture and sentiments of millions.

2. Posing of girls and lead actor in dhyana position in pant-less clothings infront of statue of Lord Buddha is affront to Buddha and millions who respect Lord Buddha.

3. Vulgar mimicry of Lord Krishna by posing to play flute with hands by lead actor and the supporting girls who are vulgarly dressed in saffron clothes as if they are sanyasins is in extreme bad taste and derogatory to values of millions.

4. Vulgar mimicry of saints by posing to chant mantras by opening and closing fists in saffron clothes by lead actor and vulgarly dressed girls is very insulting.

5. Love-making prurient lyrics mixed with chants of "Hare Rama Hare Krishna" is grave insult to legends like Rama and Krishna who are believed to be epitome of perfection by millions.

6. Saffron clothes are worn for thousands of years by sages and saints who have risen above carnal desires and seek God alone. This represents the most respected stage of human life as per Hinduism. Thus mimicking their clothes and chants vulgarly maligns our culture.

7. In particular, this is extremely insulting to women sanyasins due to obscene depiction of saffron-clad girls.

8. This tendency of insulting religious sentiments needs to be checked promptly and this can become a trend in coming times.

If similarly, vulgar videos are made in future regarding other respected figures like Prophet Muhammad, Guru Nanak, Shivaji, Mahaveer etc, this can lead to communal disharmony and violence. So this needs to be checked promptly.

9. Recently, there were huge uproars and disharmony when Prophet Muhammad was depicted wrongly in a cartoon and someone dressed like Guru Gobind Singh. It needs to be ensured that this is not repeated. Freedom of Speech cannot infringe upon cultural and national ethos and public decency.

10. Earlier bans have been imposed on scenes, sequences and phrases from movies and songs which could potentially hurt public sentiments. To quote a few, lyrics of following movies have been changed in past - Aatish (1994), Khuddar (1994), Dulara (1994) for being obscene or insulting to religious sentiments.

11. The song is presenting a very wrong image of Indian culture and Hinduism through all channels of communication across the world - internet, TV, Radio, etc. This is spreading fast and hence needs to be checked at the earliest.

We seek intervention of State and Judiciary on following:

1. Stay on release of this film with the controversial song (Hare Rama Hare Krishna)

2. Immediate and complete stopping of broadcast/ promotion/ sale of this song/trailer/promo on TV, Radio, CDs, Web and all other forms of multimedia

3. Lawful action against those directly or indirectly involved in creation and promotion of this insulting song - Producer, Director, Distributors, Actors, Singers, Lyricist, Choreographer etc

4. Ensuring a mechanism in Information & Broadcasting Ministry to stop such things being approved for broadcast in future

5. Ensuring a mechanism in Censor Board to prevent approval of such insulting mockery of Indian culture

We request your intervention on a priority basis to protect the religious and cultural sentiments of millions and help promote a respectful image of Indian culture worldwide.