Marketing and promotion is a big part of a movie's success and some film personalities go to great lengths with statements and actions to help their projects. Remember what happened to Shahrukh Khan at the Newark airport? There are cynics who maintain that last year Shahrukh Khan staged the brouhaha with the Department of Homeland Security in the US to bring attention to his film "My Name Is Khan". I am not one of them. I know that the US immigration officials cannot be bought for a film's publicity. Plus, Shahrukh Khan comes across as sensible enough not to indulge in such a stunt.
But I am quite baffled by Hollywood actress Julia Roberts, born to Baptist and Catholic parents, as she told the Elle magazine that she has converted to Hinduism during the shoot of her upcoming film Eat, Pray, Love--the story of a divorced woman who travels to Italy, India and Bali in search for a deeper meaning of life. Julia has now said that she and her family go to a Hindu temple to chant and pray.
I have never understood how people can convert to Hinduism, since it is not an organized religion like Christianity, Judaism or Islam, with a prophet, or a holy book where conversion steps are prescribed. After Julia's admission, some publications quoted a swami at Hari Mandir in Pataudi, where the Indian leg was shot, saying he witnessed her praying at the temple, "run her hands over the lamp and her hair." The swami added that he tied the sacred threads and applied the tilak on Julia and her children. I suppose that makes her and her family a Hindu.
One person who was thrilled with Julia's apparent conversion is a Nevada based self-styled and publicity-hungry Hindu priest named Rajan Zed. In 2008, Rajan singularly launched a massive campaign criticising Paramount Pictures for their film "The Love Guru". His barrage of statements convinced several media outlets to take him seriously and to believe that he spoke for the millions of Hindus across the world.
Rajan is obsessed with celebrities and this time quickly jumped at welcoming Julia and her family into the fold of Hinduism. As someone who claims to have understanding of the religion, he even offered his assistance to guide her through its practice.
Setting aside all that, I find it intriguing how Julia very conveniently decided to mention her new-found love for Hinduism, just when her film is about to hit the screens. I understand that religion is a private affair and she rarely gives interviews. But given that she now visits the temple regularly, no one--the paparazzi that follow her and her family, day and night gossip tabloids or even a Hindu priest--ever broke this news to the press.
Will more people (perhaps more Hindus) go to see Julia's film now that she has shared her secret with us? Only time will tell once the film hits the screens. "Eat, Pray, Love" hits the screens in New York and in India on August 27. It is probably possible what Julia says is true. She has always had issues with the pressures of being that a celebrity. Perhaps, she has now found solace or had a spiritual awakening at the temple in Pataudi, while she was surrounded by the chaos associated of the film shoot.
But what is remarkable is that the press--in India and abroad, jumped at her one little statement. People posted comments on social networking sites--many cynical and other seemingly in admiration.
It happens each time a celebrity claims to show support or acceptance for an Eastern religion or philosophy. Many times I've heard people mentioning the names of Hollywood's celebrities who practice yoga. Sting's proclamation that he could prolong his sexual performance by practicing yoga got some ridicule, but it also generated enough curiosity. I often hear Richard Gere, Uma Thurman and Orlando Bloom are Buddhists. It seems to give credibility to our religions, but also to our lives.
Perhaps then we are all like Rajan Zed, seeking some connection with Hollywood celebrities, finding similarities between their lives and ours. Maybe, it is a comforting feeling to know these celebrities have troubles too and our way of life brings them calmness.
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