Vamsi Krishna of Sanatan Sanstha of Australia found it very disrespectful, disgraceful and an insult to all those devotees of Lord Hanuman and followers of Hindu dharma. Vamsi Krishna requested Sony to remove this video game with immediate effect from the market before this causes further unrest in the Hindu community worldwide and issue an apology to all those who have been hurt by this insensitiveness.
Bhavna Shinde of Forum for Hindu Awakening argued that using a sacred figure like Hanuman as a character in a video game is highly objectionable to Hindus worldwide. Shinde further said that as an ethical corporation, Sony is expected to treat with respect the objects and concepts held sacred by the one-billion-strong Hindu community.
Zed, has earlier said that reimagining Hindu scriptures and deities for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurt the devotees. Controlling and manipulating Lord Hanuman with a joystick, keyboard or mouse was denigration. Lord Hanuman was not meant to be reduced to such a "character" in a video game and be in the company of America's 10 Most Wanted, Bad Boys, Jackass, Killer7, Mafia, Mercenaries, Mister Mosquito or Psychonauts.
This game is a "growing up" story of Hanuman. After he gets his mace, which is his primary weapon, he gains the ability to fight the Asuras or demons. The player's ultimate objective is to 'free' the sun and kill as many Asuras as possible or to banish them back to the underworld. The main opponents in the in the game are Shirkasur, Thakshaka, Bhramarakshasa and Mayusura.
Despite the criticisms, the game marks a milestone as the first Indian developed game by Sony. However, as a game it has met with very poor reviews mainly because of its sub-standard character modeling, choppy animations and bad level design.
i had seen a articale in US? ABOUT LORD HANUMAN i am not agree what they r doing about,they r using the gods in the video game, we all hindus we r warning its not good what they r doing, i dont want to expalin in the words but they r goign to regrat.
Dear Sir,
Hindu Organisations have taken a very right and appreciable step in initiating a case against the play on Sree Hanuman jee by Sony Network. Besides being all powerful, a great worshipper of Shiv jee and Bhagwan Sri Ram Chander jee, he must not be shown as a cartoon on the small screen just to achieve petty commercial gains by a network like Sony. The protest by Hindu Organisations is indeed very timely and warrants all kind of support.
Tilak R Sharma
Lord Shri Hanuman is worshiped by his devotees not only in India but all over world. Even Obama is having always with him the Lord Shri Hanuman. Shri Lord Hanuman is Vayu Puthra and HE is not the “Boy Warrior ” as mentioned in the Sony Game. Calling Shri Hanuman as “boy warrior” is not at all a correct one. Can they call with some other name the Jesus and Mohamad. They won’t do it because they know that they will have to face the problem with their community. Hindus are very very patience people and that is the reason they play with Hindu Gods. Some time back one of the world famous Artist viz., Hissain ( he is also from India ) draw the Goddess Saraswathi as naked. That was enjoyed by the people in India. Only after severe protection the artist took back his drawing. Can he draw his own GOD as nacked ??? ( He wont do it because he is also from Muslim Community ). Whoever plays with Lord Shri Hanuman they will have to pay heavy price and sony is in the due I think…..
Using such a mighty GOD in a mere game will be shameful ….the Deeds of Hanuman can not be captured in any game…and how can any Gamer decide how a graet GOD like Hanuman works or fights to achieve his goal?
We are mere mortals and we should be staying within our limits; And if this is deliberate an act of showing Hindu’s down thumb..then SONY should be ready to face the severe consequences.
Hello,This is something uncalled for action from sony by depicting the most revered Lord. Hanuman of Hindu Community. This is outrageous and abhorsome. Please withdraw immediately less Sony corporation will have to face the wrath of Lord. Hanuman soon…..
As a lady, it really hurts to read Sony using Shree Hanuman Dada for thier game.
Sony Directors, Please take my sincere advice and Give Better Respect to Hanuman Dada.
You have got no idea “Who is Hanuman Dada?”
I have got no words in my dictionary to describe the Power of Shree Hanuman Dada.
It would be better to have a movie about Hanuman himself to have a better understanding of his depth and devotion. A few years ago I saw the Mahabrata as a video series and really got connected with Radha/Krishna. Now I am doing speeches on the goddesses and ecology in Hindus Mandirs. It is sad to see such a revered deity reduced to a video game.
I think we are getting too over-sensitive here.
Today Hindu kids in India who go to English schools know more about Christianity than they do about Hinduism. This is because of the liberal use of Christian and Biblical characters in movies, games, cartoons etc.
This game also would have been good for arousing interest in young children towards our religion and values. Unfortunately our over zealous attitude will not let this happen!
Do you think that Sony would make a game, or any game maker, starring the god of Islam as a video game character? Or how about taking Jesus, and making him do things that He would not otherwise do? Just because the player wanted it?
I don’t think other religions would take too kindly to having their gods exploited by ANYONE for any type of gain.
It is the liberal views of Hindus like Vishnu (8) above that others take our religion for granted…We need to stop this mentality.
As for Sony, we need to set them straight, as this is not the first time the Corporation has been insensitive to Hinduism. Perhaps taking legal action such as a law suit, in the order of defamation/misrepresentation of Hindu religion; would put them in their place. I urge Hindus with legal expertise to explore this suggestion to straighten Sony out.
Regards and Namaste!
Sri Hanuman Ji is my IST-Devtah (Nachatar-wise). Am I P’Od by Sony’s disgusting money-grubbing, ultimate dis-respect? Of course I am, but on the flip side it could be a blessing in disguise, ie it could goad Hanuman Ji into activating those trecherous ‘Japanese fault-lines’ which could make California’s san Andreas look like chick-feed.
Jai Bajrang Bali
Namaste! I see both sides of the fence and understand where each one is coming from; however, sacred ideas, theologies, images and concepts should be treated with more reverance than what they have done to Lord Sri Hanuman Ji. Vishnu (8) feels the way he does because he understands that the new generations are tech savvy and image oriented. They identify with that of games, tv, internet ect; however, I would hate to see any company including Sony do to Hinduism what they have done to other religious faiths. They do moch the Christian faith here in US and make fun and tell jokes (both perversive and demeaning) about Christian beliefs and Jesus. They wont touch Islam because most Americas are afraid of upsetting muslums and being attacked again. As a Hindu, I would hate to see this happen to my faith. Besides, today Lord Sri Hanuman Ji and Tomarrow it could be any one of the other Hindu deities. If you let it start now it wont stop. I think that an educational series about Lord Sri Hanuman Ji or any other deity would be a good thing when done approperately but not a video game. I would love to be able to watch and hear the heroic stories of Lord Sri Hanuman Ji or any other God such as Lord Shiva, Durga, Lakshmi, Vishnu and all of his incarnations, Parvati, Kali ect… As long as it was done tastefully and with reverance to not only the message but to the Divine as well. Here in the US we do have people who have come to the Hindu faith, but this is not the way to do it. We need to tell Sony that we do not want Lord Sri Hanuman Ji or any of our Gods to end up as a fad or pop cultural statement for any country. The Gods are not a fad, they are our life and we must continue to honor Them for their glory.
Hanuman is sacred, therefore you must show 100% respect, the minute their is a debate about an action it implies that the action is jarring to people’s sensibilities. Therefore Sony must withdraw the game. Unless we show respect for everyone’s sensibilities, we cannot be tolerant. We need to respect every person’s sensibilities, only then can we be tolerant towards others and their beleifs. And as Hindus if we can disregard what is sacred to us, we will also end up showing disregard to others. We are tolerant towards others because we are sensitive towards our own beleifs first. If the attitude is ’sub chalta hai’ then well EVERY ACTION is justified.
Hinduism is a third largest religion and sony should realise its hurting hundreds of crores of people.
Dear Sir,
As a Hindu,I join in the protest of Sony’s Hanuman game and I agree with Rajan Zed. Hindu Organizations have joined the protest and rightly so to pressure Sony to pull the game.Sony has demonstrated a grave disrespect for Sri Hanuman and Hinduism as a whole.
Sony agrees to review Hindus’ withdrawal demand of Hanuman video game
Sony Corporation has agreed to look into the issue of objections of Hindus
against their newly released controversial “Hanuman: Boy Warrior”
video game for PlayStation2.
Replying to the communiqué of Bhavna Shinde of Forum for Hindu Awakening,
Keita Sanekata of Sony Electronics Inc wrote, “We will review this issue,
and get back to you as soon as possible.”
Advancing the protest spearheaded by acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, Shinde
earlier wrote Sanekata to “look into withdrawing this game and publishing
an apology, so as to prevent further denigration of our Deity Sree Hanuman and
intensifying of our protests”.
-Subhamoy Das
Namaste to all!
The issue of using our revered Shree Hanumanji in a video game just shows that the people at Sony have no respect for the religious beliefs and culture of others, it is a very insensitive move they have made in the Video Game industry. Can we now expect to see Video games with our most respected Lord Shiva and his many conquests or our adored Maa Durga?
Sony has to most certainly pull this Video game from the shelves and issue an apology to all Hindus globally.
Sony, immediately withdraw this game with a profound apology to the Hindus worldwide, eventhough an apology is not going to heal the wound. Never embark on such misadventures in future. We are all deeply hurt.
Sony should not be allowed to do this. I am a fan of sony games yet I am also going to protest this game. I may only be 15 but I know the importance of hindu gods. Im an American that believes in Hanuman and Hanuman is my Favorite god of the Hindu religion. They should ban this game. Take this game away. To use a religious figure such as Hanuman without the permission of the sacred god which one cannot get unless worthy enough, which I highly doubt anyone from sony is worthy enough. Hanuman is probably angered by this horrible game. I and many other people think this game should be banned/taken off from the market.
Hindus re-energizing protest against Hanuman video game in absence of withdrawal
offer from Sony
Hindus are re-energizing their protest demanding the withdrawal of Sony PlayStation2
video game “Hanuman: Boy Warrior”, saying it trivializes the highly
revered deity of Hinduism.
The protest, spearheaded by acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, was suspended
for few days to give Sony Corporation some time to “review this issue”
and come up with a possible solution. In view of no positive response from Sony,
Hindus are planning to widen the protest.
Bhavna Shinde of Forum for Hindu Awakening, in a communiqué to Sony
officials today, said, “So now we are left with no other alternative except
to intensify our protests. Lord Hanuman is a highly revered Deity for us Hindus
and we cannot accept any more denigration of Him.”
Shinde also wrote, “We are shocked at the stubbornness of Sony Corporation
not to withdraw the PlayStation2 game ‘Hanuman: boy warrior’ despite our repeated
requests. Sony Corporation is held in high esteem the world over with high ethical
principles. We were expecting that Sony would not hurt the feelings of the one
billion strong Hindu population for a minor product like this game.”
As a next step in protest, Hindus are planning to request the major wholesalers
and retailers of video games in India not to carry Sony’s Hanuman video
game.
I join all of you to protest against Sony. The fact that Shri Hanumaan is the subject of its videogame should have triggered that proper advice should have been sought.
Sony, please listen and withdraw the game and submit your apologies to the Hindus of all over the world.
All hindus (ALL religious) people should consider that some of os non-religious think your attempts of mind control is very insensitive.
Please TRY to understand that it is IMPOSSIBLE to adhere to all religious peoples “needs”. Those who may consider your “gods” as totally fictious have a very hard time understanding why they should adhere to non-existing entities (such as Santa Claus etc).
Religion should be strictly PERSONAL – inside your head. Don’t go around feeling like martyrs all your life and don’t waste energy.
If you don’t like SONYs products (or any other) just don’t buy them. And if SONY decides to withdraw the game – how would you ever know that this action was because of “respect” – rather than “we don’t want to loose money”?
It is all in your head….
Ummm… Sony would care why?
lol – Its hardly a loss coz most of the Time LG and cheaper brands tend to be product of choice.
This is so utterly ridiculous. I work for sony AND am a hindu AND am a long time gamer. If anything this is just a modern version of the Ram Leela Katha–bringing the story of God to the people who need to see it in the format that they are looking at. Sant Tulsidas did the same when he brought Valmiki’s Ramayan to the masses in Hindi vernacular instead of the Sanskrit original.
And if we’re going to protest, let us protest the wildly popular hanuman cartoon that is airing. Or lets not, because that is equally ridiculous. Hanuman was a great being, and was full of laughter and joy. Would he really be offended by something like this? Let’s be real here.
Hanuman the game is being made by indians for indians. Protesting it is basically admitting that you don’t understand youth culture and are afraid of new media. Where were the protests for the Ramayan comics that Deepak Chopra made? Those were pretty awful, and yet, i have the most lovely statue of lord ram on my mantel based on the artwork of Alex Ross– http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/0704/13/rama2.jpg.
Seriously, we should be bringing MORE hindu tales to gaming. Where are my Mahabharat games? My War on Lanka? My stories of Subramanya and Kali Maa?
The youth of our culture need to be taught the old ways, and the best way is to go to them, through the medium of gaming. Embrace this future. Hanuman would have.