Will Smith Is Not God

Will Smith's latest, the Robert Redford-directed The Legend of Bagger Vance, in which he co-stars with Matt Damon, has fallen foul of objections from members of the Hindu community. The 1930s set tale of golfer Rannulph Junnah (Damon), who is aided by the mysterious caddy of the title (Smith) is about much more than tees and balls, apparently. A spokesperson for the National Council of Hindu Temples explained that, "Bagger Vance is a distortion of the Hindu word for God - Bhagavad." The film, based on Steven Pressfield's novel, does concern itself with metaphysical ideas way beyond a simple game of golf. And Hindus will find it offensive, the spokesperson said, "to see Will Smith on the screen being called what is basically the word for God." Will Smith would probably disagree.