- Outrage in India Over Sex Scene in Oppenheimer Movie
- Nationalist Organization Calls for Investigation and Punishment
- Some Defend Scene as “Just Art,” Others Dismiss Claims as Ridiculous
Critics assert that a sex scene depicting US physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer reciting a verse from the sacred Hindu scripture Bhagavad Gita should be “investigated” and those responsible should be “severely punished.”
The inclusion of a sexual scene in the box office success Oppenheimer has sparked outrage in India, with social media users threatening to boycott the film.
The scene depicting US physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer (portrayed by Irish actor Cillian Murphy) reciting a verse from the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Hindu scripture before having intercourse has been labeled a “savage assault on Hinduism.”
Save Culture Save India (SCSI) Foundation, a nationalist organization, stated that the incident should be “urgently investigated” and those responsible should be “severely punished.”
After the inventor of SCSI, Uday Mahurkar, wrote an open letter to the film’s director, Christopher Nolan, anger erupted on social media.
The letter titled “Oppenheimer’s disturbing assault on Hinduism” stated, “We do not know the motivation and reasoning behind this unnecessary scene in the life of a scientist.
“However, this is a direct assault on the religious beliefs of a billion tolerant Hindus; it amounts to waging war against the Hindu community and almost seems to be part of a larger anti-Hindu plot.”
Mr. Mahurkar characterized the Bhagavad Gita as “one of the most revered Hindu scriptures” that has inspired countless individuals to “live a life of self-discipline and perform selfless noble deeds.”
“We urge, on behalf of billions of Hindus and the timeless tradition of lives being transformed by the revered Gita, that you do all that is necessary to uphold the dignity of their revered book and remove this scene from your film worldwide,” he told Nolan.
And he cautioned, “Should you choose to disregard this appeal, it will be considered a deliberate attack on Indian civilization.”
However, in response to the letter, some individuals asserted that the film was “just art,” with one individual labeling Mr. Mahurkar’s claims as “ridiculous.”
“These types of ineffectual accusations distract from the actual problems affecting and affecting our community,” said one.
Another respondent stated, “The scene is morally neutral.” Stop overreacting and stigmatizing sex.”
The film stars Eddie Murphy as Oppenheimer, who supervised the development of the atomic bomb during World War II, and English actress Florence Pugh as his psychiatrist mistress Jean Tatlock.
According to Warner Bros Discovery, the film has grossed approximately 600 million rupees (approximately £5.71 million) in India since its Friday debut.
Following the release of Oppenheimer and the Barbie film, Vue reported the highest weekend ticket sales in the United Kingdom in four years.
The cinema chain reported on Sunday that one-fifth of its consumers purchased tickets to see both films in the “Barbenheimer” double feature, which was inspired by social media.
Nolan also told that the film was “just a very, very dramatic story about how our world changed forever” and that “the danger never goes away.”
