The International Indian Film Academy Awards are a set of awards presented annually by the International Indian Film Academy to honour both the artistic and technical excellence of professionals in Bollywood which is the Hindi film industry in India. In one of their advertisements ‘Catch Ranveer Singh & Arjun Kapoor in the first look of the grand #IIFA2015 teaser’ they have denigrated and insulted Hindu Saints and Sages.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ny8ZGvc5oAw
Alert Hindus notified Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS), a noted Hindu organization in India, about this denigration of Hindu Saints and Sages. Accordingly, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti wrote to the IIFA asking them to remove the denigrating advertisement from websites as well as from their Facebook page but there has been no response from them. (The appeal letter against this denigration is published ahead on this page.)
The advertisement has been seen on Colors TV channel, Yahoo news and on their Facebook page at the following links:
https://in.movies.yahoo.com/news/look-baba-arjun-kapoor-ranveer-singh-back-ogether-101647312.html
https://www.facebook.com/TheIIFAAwards/videos/vb.246171195404892/978902168798454/?type=2&theater
We now request you to appeal lawfully and peacefully to stop this denigration.
Since we anticipate further denigration using this theme of mimicking Saints and Sages in the award function that has been slated to be held on the 5th of June in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, we need to urgently make as many appeals as possible within the next 3 days before the function.
We also suggest you to write and request them to stop this denigration.
Please see below the email sent by HJS to the International Indian Film Academy:
From: HJS Appeals <appeals@hindujagruti.org>
Date: Fri, May 29, 2015 at 8:17 AM
Subject: Insult of Hindu Saints and Sages in the promotion for IIFA 2015
To: info@iifa.com
Namaskar,
We at Hindu Janajagruti Samiti have received several complaints from Hindus regarding the advertisement for this year’s IIFA function. ‘Catch Ranveer Singh & Arjun Kapoor in the first look of the grand #IIFA2015 teaser’ has denigrated and insulted Hindu Saints and Sages. The advertisement has been seen on Colors TV channel, Yahoo news and on your Facebook page at the following links:
https://in.movies.yahoo.com/news/look-baba-arjun-kapoor-ranveer-singh-back-together-101647312.html
https://www.facebook.com/TheIIFAAwards/videos/vb.246171195404892/978902168798454/?type=2&theater
Hindu Janajagruti Samiti is a registered NGO in India working for Hindu Dharma and also for society and National welfare. The Samiti is also active throughout the world, educating people about Hindu Dharma in a scientific way, campaigning against malpractices done in the name of Hindu Dharma and solving problems related to the misrepresentation of Hindu Dharma. For further details please visit our website www.HinduJagruti.org.
In this advertisement for the IIFA Awards, Arjun Kapoor and Ranveer Singh both mimic spiritual Guru’s and Saints. Saints are the manifest form of God in Hinduism and while defamation of our Saints in this manner may seem like the trendy thing to do, in reality it is a very serious high level sin.
If this promo which is a run up to the actual function is anything to go by, we are apprehensive about the same theme being used to host the show. The choice of this appalling theme on an international stage would surely entail further sarcasm and mockery of Saints which eventually leads to the willful maligning of Hinduism for viewers worldwide.
It is shameful how you are belittling Divinity for commercial benefit when ordinarily in our culture we worship God as an auspicious way to bless any endeavor. In addition, you are attempting to enhance your own popularity by doing this while at the same time you are diminishing the image of Saints in the minds of millions of people. The sin incurred multiplies further with every mind that you impact. This in turn increases demerits that will have to borne as negative destiny. Isn’t this a rather steep price to pay for a few cheap laughs?
Since this award function is going to take place on 5th June 2015 and will be televised on various channels we are not only appealing against the advertisement but also against the award function wherever the actors hosting the show denigrate revered Hindu Saints or Sages as this misrepresents Hinduism.
Through this commercial, you have hurt the religious sentiments of crores of Hindu devotees. With this in view, we request you to immediately withdraw the ‘Catch Ranveer Singh & Arjun Kapoor in the first look of the grand #IIFA2015 teaser’ advertisement and remove all the denigrating aspects from the subsequent award function.
Please acknowledge this letter and inform us in writing about action taken by you, failing which, we will be forced to start a protest campaign. Awaiting prompt action and reply.
Regards,
Hindu Janajagruti Samiti