Julia: Eat, Pray and Love Hinduism

Hilary Clinton has said she loved ‘Eat Pray Love’. Supermodel Elle Macpherson has advised every woman to read it. Women have been exchanging Elizabeth Gilbert’s irresistible autobiography like manna. My own copy was gifted by a friend and I am inexorably drawn into Gilbert’s search for everything.

Now, Julia Roberts has joined the search. The 42-year-old actor, who was among the world’s highest paid for five straight years, picked ‘Eat Pray Love’ over ‘The Blind Side’ as her ‘comeback’ film. Considering that ‘The Blind Side’ is an All-American sports film and won Sandra Bullock three big awards, Julia Roberts took a risk.

From People Magazine: What makes Julia Roberts most beautiful – still!

Will the risk pay off? We don’t know that yet. What we do know is that like the character in Gilbert’s book, Julia Roberts has been hit by a bolt of spirituality. She recently told the world she’s a practicing Hindu.

Here’s what she told People magazine:

The entire Roberts-Moder family, goes to temple together to "chant and pray and celebrate. I'm definitely a practicing Hindu."

[On possible reincarnation] "Golly, I've been so spoiled with my friends and family in this life," she says. "Next time I want to be just something quiet and supporting."

When religion is intensely personal, then why are celebrities prone to public religion-hopping? So Lindsay Lohan is in the process of converting to Judaism after breaking up with Sam Ronson. Oh wait. That was before her 2009 karma finding mission to India. “I am all about Karma, what comes around, goes around,” she had posted on Twitter.

Katie Holmes, better known as Mrs Tom Cruise, than the average actor she was, followed him to Scientology. Dreamy actor Orlando Bloom gave up the Church of England for Buddhism.  Though Buddhism’s top celebrity remains Richard Gere. Gere reportedly meditates daily which helps him to stay motivated. Rapper Snoop Dogg left behind his Baptist roots to join the Nation of Islam which started as a Black empowerment group.

In 2008, Michael Jackson became Mikaeel, following his conversion to Islam. Plagued with fall from grace from the zenith as the King of Pop to the nadir and relentless scrutiny over his marriages, plastic surgeries and charges of child molestation, Jackson had perhaps hoped that conversion would help him find the way and lead a better life.

Madonna has been strict follower of Kabbalah. So have Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher.

So celebrities can quit one religion and join another. Just like that. It’s like a privilege they expect with a celebrity status.

Look closer.  Before the release of their films, actors will go for ‘quiet’ visit to temples, gurudwaras, mosques, temples. So you’ll hear of actors in burqas at Ajmer Sharif, walking to Siddhivinayak in the dead of night or prostrating at Tirupati.  Blessing is what they seek. Why not at home?  You and I do it - spend quiet time in prayer. Why must everything, including religion, be larger-than-life for celebrities?

Four words sum it up. Seek attention. Gain publicity. Does Julia Roberts need publicity? After all she’s no Katie Holmes. Julia Roberts is worth upwards of $140 million dollars. But isn’t self obsession every celebrity’s curse?

As the whole world discusses Julia Roberts’ new religion and she derides the use of botox, preferring to look natural instead, ‘Eat Pray Love’ releases on August 13.

How’s that for timing?