The sex scene in Oppenheimer and its link to the Hindu text of Bhagavad Gita has sparked controversy.
Oppenheimer is one of the biggest Hollywood films to be released in 2024. It is the biopic of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the first scientist who experimented with nuclear weapons. Christopher Nolan’s film had been making a lot of buzz all over the globe especially due to his cinematic choices and its clash with Greta Gerwig’s toy-themed film Barbie at the box office.
As the box office previews indicated, the Nolan directorial has managed to get the largest opening received by any Hollywood film in 2024 in India. Indians were extremely intrigued to learn about Oppenheimer’s connection with The Bhagavad Gita. A section of the Hindu audiences celebrated this as a recognition of the Indian culture by Hollywood. But the use of holy text has now left a portion of the audience outraged.
In the film, there is an intimate scene between Florence Pugh and Cillian Murphy. In the scene, Pugh who plays the role of Jean Tatlock is seen asking Murphy’s character to read the famous line “Now I am become Death, the Destroyer of World” from his copy of The Bhagavad Gita while being engaged in intercourse.
This scene has outraged a part of the Hindu audience. They have found the intermingling of nudity, intercourse, and the holy scriptures to be offensive. A section of the audience has also attacked the Central Board of Film Certification (in India) and its President Mr. Prasoon Joshi. They have questioned him for not editing the disrespectful scenes out of the film. People have also pointed out that Nolan’s use of the quote from the holy text can be viewed as cultural appropriation. Therefore, a section of the audience has taken the film to task online, calling out Nolan’s usage of the Gita verse at inappropriate time to be offensive and even racist.
Image Source: IMdB
Oppenheimer had sparked controversy earlier
This is Christopher Nolan’s first R-rated film since Insomnia (2002). The multiple sex scenes earned the film that certificate. The considerable age difference between Pugh and Murphy had also sparked controversy earlier during the film’s making. It has been clarified as a creative decision. The film is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning autobiography American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer. The book clearly stated that the famous scientist had a string of affairs with numerous younger girls.
Oppenheimer’s Link to The Bhagavad Gita
The scientist was very much attracted to the Hindu philosophy. Much like the famous American poet T.S. Eliot, Oppenheimer was a student of the Sanskrit language. He never considered himself a practicing Hindu. The famous line from The Gita – “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds”- was uttered by him about his destructive creation in a 1965 television broadcast.
There is historical accuracy in the scientist quoting the Hindu Scripture as he saw his creation destroy an entire civilization there is no such indication that he read from the text while engaged in intercourse. This has raised the question of how far can the creators extend their creative license. Oppenheimer has already grossed about 13 Crores at the Indian Box office. But keeping all controversies aside, Indian cinephiles are flocking to the theatre to experience Christopher Nolan’s magnum opus. The film has been garnering praise from both the audiences and the critics alike. As American screenwriter and filmmaker Paul Schrader had said earlier Nolan’s masterpiece can definitely be deemed as “the most important film of the century”
