Dum Maro Dum - Controversial Indian Film - ISKCON GBC's Official Statement

Dear Maharajas, Prabhus, and Fellow Devotees of Lord Krishna

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

This mail highlights the ISKCON Communications India viewpoint on Dum Maro Dum - the controversial film loosely hinting at the Hare Krishna Mahamantra and the movement.

After confirming with sources in Media, the film industry and other sources, it is clear that the film has been rejected as a colossal flop and as an inconsequential addition to the thousands of films which are released in "Bollywood"- which churns out the largest number of films every year. The leading media have snubbed it as having "no dum" and that despite obscenities, the youth of North India have also rejected the film resulting in really low collections.

It goes without saying that our congregation does not take too much interest in

films, least of all films certified as Adults only and this certification has

also hit the expected response from "not yet devotee" family audiences badly,

for the film. Everyone of our donors and regular patrons who are connected to

us, are fully conversant with  ISKCON activities and any specific issues can be

addressed individually.

We can safely conclude that this is just a momentary distraction for us and by

continuing our regular activities in ISKCON Communications- of building

goodwill for the society and continuous positive publicity, the short public

memory can be engaged appropriately.In other words, this whole issue is making

a mountain out of a mole hill and any specific action from our end will only be

providing undue publicity to a flop film.

However if all the Vaishnavas feel that there should be any further action to

be initiated, we are always ready to take it up at an appropriate level and

intensity, subject to instructions from ISKCON higher authorities. I await your

responses on this.

Your servant

Vrajendra Nandan Das

National Communications Director ,

ISKCON GBC, India

Text PAMHO:21512664 (90 lines)

From:      Parijata (dd) RNS (IC Mumbai - IN)

Date:      27-Apr-11 18:34 (14:34 -0400)

To:        ICE (ISKCON Communications Europe) [3873]

To:        Mahaprabhu (das) BE (Radhadesh - B) [68562]

Cc:        European Leaders [1760]  (sender: Dinadayal (das) SNS (Bhaktivedanta

           College - BE))

For:       ICELT (ICE Europe Leadership Team)

Subject:   Controversial Indian film

------------------------------------------------------------

Message from Anuttama Das, ISKCON Minister for Communications:

April 21, 2011

Dear Maharajas, Prabhus, and Fellow Devotees of Lord Krishna,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Some of you will recall that in the year 1971, Dev Anand produced and

directed the movie 'Hare Ram Hare Krishna' that showed images of our founder

Srila Prabhupada and ISKCON devotees chanting. The movie also included the

song 'Dum Maro Dum' which had references to the Hare Krishna mantra.

Unfortunately, the movie and song's depiction of drugs and illicit

activities misled the general public to think that Hare Krishna devotees

indulge in such things. This misinformation damaged the reputation of the

young ISKCON movement in India and caused undeserved pain to our devotees,

members and friends.

It took years for the people of India to understand that sincere followers

of ISKCON strictly refrain from smoking, drinking, gambling and illicit

relationships. And that, in fact, ISKCON's propagation of the Hare Krishna

mantra is convincing millions around the world to give up these same illicit

behaviors.

Recently, Ramesh Sippy Enterprise and FoxStar India have co-produced a new

movie 'Dum Maaro Dum' which was released on 22 April, 2011 with an 'A'

(Adults only) certificate. This film includes a song 'Mit Jaaye Gham' which

is a remix of the original 'Dum Maro Dum' song from 'Hare Ram Hare Krishna'

movie. Like the original, the song contains references to the Hare Krishna

mantra.

Members of the ISKCON Communications Ministry, led by Parijata devi dasi in

Mumbai, followed the development and publicity about the film for some time.

Out of concern that the new film might propagate the same false images of

ISKCON devotees as had the earlier one, Gopal Krishna Goswami (GBC), Braja

Hari Das (President, ISKCON Juhu) and Parijata devi dasi (ISKCON

Communications, Western India) met with the producers earlier this month.

The producers assured ISKCON's representatives that, unlike the earlier

movie, the new production does not have any reference to ISKCON, its

teachings, or Hare Krishna devotees.

The above devotees insisted on a preview screening of the 'Mit Jaaye Gham'

song, which has references to the Hare Krishna mantra. In the song, the

words 'Hare Krishna' and 'Hare Rama' are paired with images depicting

smoking, sexuality, etc. which are contradictory to the devotional spirit in

which the members of ISKCON and many other Vaishnavas chant the Hare Krishna

mantra.

After the preview screening, the ISKCON leaders requested the filmmakers

that-since the images and activities depicted in the song 'Mit Jaaye Gham'

do not in any way reflect the activities of members of ISKCON or its

teachings-that the producers issue a disclaimer in the movie stating the

same.

After some period of negotiation, the producers issued the following

disclaimer, which will appear in the beginning of the movie, to be seen

every time the movie is shown in India:

"Our re-recorded song Mit Jaaye Gham has reference to the Hare Krishna

mantra. The filmmakers wish to state that they do not intend to dishonor the

prayer or inadvertently hurt the sentiments of Hindu people worldwide and

the members of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) who

are its proponent."

In the modern world, artists and movie-makers are allowed much leeway in the

name of "free speech" and "artistic license". Thus, we had limited options.

But it was important that we assured they did not misuse images of ISKCON

devotees, and that they publicly stated their desire to not offend the

Lord's name or His devotees.

We hope the disclaimer will help eliminate any misunderstanding that viewers

of the movie may have in relation to the 'Mit Jaaye Gham' song, and clarify

that the song and film and its portrayal of illicit activities have no

connection whatsoever with ISKCON.

Regarding the film itself, we recommend that our devotees and friends simply

avoid the film and overlook whatever short-lived attention it may receive.

Lord Krishna tells us that all things of this world quickly pass, and He

recommends we concentrate on the eternal. And, those inclined to watch a

movie are advised to find one that is spiritually uplifting and avoid the

mundane, however popular or controversial it may be.

In case of any queries or information, please contact:

Parijata devi dasi (Parijata.RNS@pamho.net)

Your servant,

Anuttama Das

ISKCON GBC

Minister for Communications

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Prabhupada’s Godbrothers "AVOID THEM!"- Secret Letter Leaked

My Godbrothers have no life for preaching work. All are satisfied with a place for residence in the name of a temple, they engage disciples to get foodstuff by transcendental devices and eat and sleep. They have no idea or brain how to broacast the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Tirupati 28 April, 1974

Washington D.C.

My dear Rupanuga Maharaja,

Please accept my blessings.

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of April 17, from Washington D.C. and I have very carefully noted the contents.

Regarding Mayapur, as you have begun this program should be regularly followed once a year: meet in Mayapur and chalk out activities for the year. Then, next year meet and see how far things are being done and if necessary make changes for responsible GBC and presidents etc. The meeting is very valuable and must be carried out regularly every year. But one thing is that at Mayapur last time most of the time was spent discussing but no program was made firm for the year. For example, our Tamala Krishna Goswami never proposed to go to the USA at the meeting but now he has decided to go back to the U.S.A. Of course you can go back, but if the matter is discussed at the meeting, then a GBC vote could be taken and they could have selected a replacement. Now this replacement I have to bother. It is not difficult for me, but why wasn’t their discussion of the meeting. Now Karandhara has written asking to come back and I have called him to come to Bombay and if possible he can be engaged as GBC for India.

You are right about Sridhara Maharaja’s genuineness. But in my opinion he is the best of the lot. He is my old friend, at least he executes the regulative principles of devotional service. I do not wish to discuss about activities of my Godbrothers but it is a fact they have no life for preaching work. All are satisfied with a place for residence in the name of a temple, they engage disciples to get foodstuff by transcendental devices and eat and sleep. They have no idea or brain how to broacast the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. My Guru Maharaja used to lament many times for this reason and he thought if one man at least had understood the principle of preaching then his mission would achieve success. In the latter days of my Guru Maharaja he was very disgusted. Actually, he left this world earlier, otherwise he would have continued to live for more years. Still he requested his disciples to form a strong Governing body for preaching the cult of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He never recommended anyone to be acarya of the Gaudiya Math. But Sridhara Maharaja is responsible for disobeying this order of Guru Maharaja, and he and others who are already dead unnecessarily thought that there must be one acarya. If Guru Maharaja could have seen someone who was qualified at that time to be acarya he would have mentioned. Because on the night before he passed away he talked of so many things, but never mentioned an acarya. His idea was acarya was not to be nominated amongst the governing body. He said openly you make a GBC and conduct the mission. So his idea was amongst the members of GBC who would come out successful and self effulgent acarya would be automatically selected. So Sridhara Maharaja and his two associate gentlemen unauthorizedly selected one acarya and later it proved a failure. The result is now everyone is claiming to be acarya even though they may be kanistha adhikari with no ability to preach. In some of the camps the acarya is being changed three times a year. Therefore we may not commit the same mistake in our ISKCON camp. Actually amongst my Godbrothers no one is qualified to become acarya. So it is better not to mix with my Godbrothers very intimately because instead of inspiring our students and disciples they may sometimes pollute them. This attempt was made previously by them, especially Madhava Maharaja and Tirtha Maharaja and Bon Maharaja but somehow or other I saved the situation. This is going on. We shall be very careful about them and not mix with them. This is my instruction to you all. They cannot help us in our movement, but they are very competent to harm our natural progress. So we must be very careful about them.

Our students who are making this political program must be fixed in one point that human society unless divided into the four classes and divisions is animal society. Among the animals there is no intelligence for self realization or how to make life successful. In human life intelligence is better than animals therefore they should know what is the aim of life and to educate human society there is the whole Vedic literature, of which the Bhagavad gita is the quintessence. The Supreme Personality of Godhead orders that there must be four division in human society, a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th class, like that, and the 1st must be ideal. If the whole society is full of rogues, thieves, drunkards, cheaters and demons, where is there question of decent government. There must be division so the lower class men may aspire to be second class men. So far we are concerned we are trying to train first class men. How much great responsibility we have to follow regulative principles, chant the beads, live with personal character etc. Regulative principles means to especially execute devotional service in terms of the revealed scriptures under the direction of the spiritual master. By fulfilling the regulative principles you come to the platform of spontaneous love for Krsna. Spontaneous love for Krsna is there already but is covered by the influence of Maya. The regulative principles are a device how to overcome the influence of maya and come to the platform of spontaneous love of Krsna. If we want to exist as first class men in society all our students must be induced to following the regulative principles. One shouldn’t think artificially he has come to the spontaneous platform. That is sahajiyaism.

The GBC must be vigilant by following the regulative principles and teach by ideal character the presidents of the centers, and the presidents by their ideal character must teach the others then automatically all members of the whole institution will be ideal to the human society. Then we can dictate to administrators or sometimes take hold of the administration. In the absence of competent leaders we may take the post. But we must be very careful in the flow of the political movement we may not forget our ideal life. For example, Parasaram was a Brahmin but when he found the ksatriyas were mismanaging he killed them twenty one times and some of them fled to European countries. This is the history. So far we are concerned we shall keep ourselves in ideal brahminical position and if need be if no ksatriya or Vaisya is here we can take up their work as emergency. Our business is to create ideal ksatriyas and vaisyas but beyond that our real business is to keep ourselves as ideal Brahmins. If we are not ideal we cannot create others as ideal. Training is required for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd classes of social constitution. Persons who are not fit for being advanced by training are sudras or less than that. At the present moment in the world state, there are sudras and less than that. There are no ideal brahmanas or ksatriyas. But these four divisions are imperative. So our business is to keep fit as brahmanas and to train others to be ideal ksatriyas and vaisyas for advancing the whole society. As Krsna says in the Srimad-Bhagavatam:

Tamala Krsna Goswami is going to Los Angeles and I shall give him instruction to join Madhudvisa Swami, Bali Mardan and Jayatirtha and reform the deficiencies. As soon as there is a little deficiency we must repair it or it will create a big hole and the ship will drown. So I have said keep fit. I saw this Vrindaban Candra and Prajapati as a little sentimental without thoroughly understanding. Without following the regulative principles advancement is doubtful, and one may fall at any moment.

As for drugs, not just one party, but everyone was involved. Our process is to reform. Everyone is under the clutches of maya. If we follow the regulative principles we can get out and come to spontaneous love. A diseased man is always under the clutches of disease. But if he follows the prescribed orders given by the __ __ he can be cured. Now, how to reform? If we ask him to go away the whole society will be finished. In the hospital many patients are there and the attempt is made to cure them, not to tell them to go away or to kill them. They try their best to cure them. If they tell them to get out of the hospital or if they kill them, that is easy.

Initiation should be given as a future hope, but we should be careful about the second initiation. As recommended by the president or GBC they should only do so when they are quite confident of a man. Otherwise, he should not be recommended. If you follow this principle it will be successful. Every day I am getting request for second initiation, but I do not know. The responsibility goes to the presidents who pick them. Unless they are thoroughly convinced second initiation should not be given. In the beginning we may be a little lenient. But if someone falls down after being initiated he should not be credited with second initiation.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS.sdg

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