Hindus Seeking Meeting Rebuffed at Universal Studios

A delegation of more than 200 Hindus sought a meeting with Universal Studios executives Monday to express concern over what the group considers to be derogatory depictions of Hindu deities in the action television series “Xena: Warrior Princess.”

Although the Los Angeles delegation was rebuffed, executives of the studio, which owns and distributes the show, said a separate group of Hindus met Monday with the “Xena” producers in New Zealand, where the show is taped.

“They have received a barrage of e-mails, letter faxes and phone calls from all over the world about this issue,” said Tusta Krishnadas, an L.A. member of the World Viashnava Assn. “We tried to deliver those messages to them today, but couldn’t get past the security guards. This snub smacks of racism.”

The show’s producers maintained that the episode in question, “The Way,” treated the faith with respect and sensitivity.

The episode depicted the Hindu deity, Lord Krishna, “saying things he never said and doing things he never did,” according to Braja dasi, a representative of the Los Angeles Chaitanya Mission.

“We are outraged,” she said. “How would Christians feel if a bunch of Hindus took Jesus Christ and filmed Xena punching him in the face? What if you took Lord Buddha? Any other religion would be just as outraged.”

“Xena” is set in a mythological past where gods, monsters and magic coexist. The show stars Lucy Lawless as a sword-toting adventurer who battles centaurs, giants and other creatures of fantasy.

Leah Krantzler, a Universal Studios spokeswoman, said the producers of the show hired “an expert in Indian studies who is Hindu” from the University of Auckland to be a consultant on the show.

“The show began filming only after the consultant had thoroughly reviewed and contributed to the shooting script,” said Krantzler. “Every effort was made to ensure that all references to the Hindu religion were treated with the utmost respect.”