Washington (PTI): Hindu groups in the US have demanded that Mike Myers' 'The Love Guru' be released around the world with "necessary cuts" as the film allegedly hurt religious sentiments.

Hindu Janjagruti Samiti has written to film distributors, theatres and organisations asking them "to stop distributing or screening the movie till Paramount Pictures makes necessary changes, so that it does not hurt sentiments of the Hindu community".

It said if the trailer was an indicator of its content, millions of Hindus worldwide who hold the guru-disciple relationship as sacred will be offended. "Poking fun is one thing, but if it creates a sense of belittling one's faith, then it is wrong," it said in a statement. Mike Myers is best known for making slapstick comedies like the Austen Powers series.

Indian American leader Rajan Zed said the movie indicated that it "lampoons Hinduism and Hindus" while Bhavna Shinde of the Samiti said they were supporting Zed's protest against the "degeneration".