Deepak Chopra Defends 'Love Guru'

(FROM HOLLYWOOD REPORTER) – Best-selling author and spiritual teacher Deepak Chopra has come out in defense of the upcoming Mike Myers movie The Love Guru, posting an essay online in response to members of the Hindu community who have said the comedy is offensive and mocks their faith. Myers stars as an aspiring self-help guru that is something of a Chopra wanna-be. Protesters have said the movie seems to be lampooning Hinduism and Hindus and uses their sacred terms frivolously. Chopra's essay points out that the complaints are based only on the movie's 2 1/2-minute trailer. ''The premature outcry against the movie is itself religious propaganda," Chopra wrote. ''As viewers will find out when the movie is released this summer, no one is more thoroughly skewered in it than I am — you could even say that I am made to seem preposterous.''

Chopra, who makes a cameo in the movie, says he has been friends with Myers for years and that the actor's character in the movie is based partly on him. Myers ''has the most profound understanding of Eastern wisdom, traditions and spirituality,'' Chopra said. ''In the end, the movie is about self-esteem and love. It is about, in fact, love being the ultimate truth. He goes about it in a very silly, humorous way, but that's his style.'' The Love Guru releases on June 20. (Hollywood Reporter)