Oppenheimer: Bhagavad Gita reference in Cillian Murphy's sex scene sparks outrage, 'Remove it across the world'

While filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, which is based on the life of the American theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, has opened with packed houses across the country, it has sparked outrage among the Indian audience due to reference of Bhagavad Gita during a sex scene featuring Cillian Murphy and Florence Pugh.

Government of India’s Information Commissioner Uday Mahurkar tweeted, sharing a statement from Save Culture Save India Foundation, which read, “One is perplexed as to how the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) could approve the movie with this scene. A divine gift to human civilisation by Bhagwan Sri Krishna, the Bhagwad Geeta, is one of the most revered scriptures of Hinduism. Geeta has been the inspiration for countless sanyasis, brahmcharis and legends who live a life of self-control and perform selfless noble deeds.”

. @OppenheimerATOM
To,
Mr Christopher Nolan
Director , Oppenheimer film

Date : July 22, 2023

Reg: Film Oppenheimer’s disturbing attack on Hinduism

Dear Mr Christopher Nolan,

Namaste from Save Culture Save India Foundation.

It has come to our notice that the movie…

— Uday Mahurkar (@UdayMahurkar) July 22, 2023

The statement further read, “We do not know the motivation and logic behind this unnecessary scene on life of a scientist. A scene in the movie shows a woman makes a man read Bhagwad Geeta aloud while getting over him and doing sexual intercourse.”

In the scene Jean (Florence Pugh) makes Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) read Bhagwad Geeta while getting over him and doing sexual intercourse.

“We believe that if you (Christopher Nolan) remove this scene and do the needful to win hearts of Hindus, it will go a long way to establish your credentials as a sensitized human being and gift you friendship of billions of nice people. We urge, on behalf of billion Hindus and timeless tradition of lives being transformed by revered Geeta, to do all that is needed to uphold dignity of their revered book and remove this scene from your film across world,” the statement from Save Culture Save India Foundation read.

Boycott in India?

Many social media users called for a boycott on Christopher Nolan directorial as one netizen wrote, “I’m calling for a boycott of the movie Oppenheimer. I just learned there is a highly offensive scene involving the Bhagavad Gita in it. I will not repeat it here, but it involves something explicit.”

Can’t we boycott a movie which is insulting our religion? Why are we so comfortable with it? Why are we happy that our holy book is mentioned in this movie? This is really very disgusting! #BoycottOppenheimer#Oppenheimer pic.twitter.com/x1OhGpAWBs

— Prachi Sharma (@divaprachi) July 22, 2023

Hindus have been celebrating the mention of the Bhagwad Gita in the Oppenheimer movie, but they are left angry and perplexed at the blatant disrespect of the Gita by Hollywood.

Mentioning holy verses while having sex is considered disrespectful and racist. #BoycottOpenheimer pic.twitter.com/Gvgi5Brsx4

— Harris Sultan (@TheHarrisSultan) July 21, 2023

Shame on India’s censor board for allowing this. Christopher Nolan is a typical Hollywood racist. He completely shut out all the Indian fighters in WWI movie and now he is making crude sexual references with Hinduism. Porno perverts from the West again exploit Hindu texts. https://t.co/qhiifzipNQ

— Indian-Americans (@HinduAmericans) July 20, 2023

Oppenheimer, which earned Rs 50 crore in its opening weekend in India, features Robert Downey Jr, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Kenneth Branagh, and Rami Malek in prominent roles.