Religious Outrage Erupts as Hollywood Film 'Oppenheimer' Features Controversial Hindu Scripture in Sex Scene
The release of Hollywood movie Oppenheimer in India has caused outrage by including a sex scene featuring a line from a Hindu holy scripture. The controversy raises questions about religious tolerance and cultural representation in film.
The release of the Hollywood movie "Oppenheimer" in India has sparked outrage and controversy due to a sex scene that features a line from a Hindu holy scripture. The film, a biographical drama about US physicist Robert Oppenheimer, has received positive reviews and has been successful at the box office in India, earning more than $3 million in just two days.
The scene in question shows Oppenheimer, played by Cillian Murphy, reciting a verse from the Bhagavad Gita, considered the holiest of Hindu scriptures, just before engaging in sexual activity with his lover, Jean Tatlock, played by Florence Pugh.
The line he recites, "Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds," is a quote that Oppenheimer himself reportedly recalled when the first nuclear bomb was detonated. Oppenheimer had a keen interest in the Hindu religion and had even learned Sanskrit, the sacred language of Hinduism.
However, this scene has caused uproar among many in India, with some calling it a "scathing attack" on Hindu beliefs. Uday Mahurkar, a senior official at the government's Central Information Commission, wrote a letter to the film's director, Christopher Nolan, stating that it was a direct assault on the religious beliefs of Hindus and urged Nolan to cut the scene.
Hashtags such as #BoycottOppenheimer and #RespectHinduCulture have been trending on Twitter. Various Hindu organizations and individuals have voiced their displeasure and demanded an apology from the film's makers. Vishwa Hindu Parishad, a prominent right-wing Hindu organization, claims that the movie is an attempt to attack Hindu society.
Critics argue that religious intolerance has been growing in India since the Hindu nationalist government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in 2014. The controversy surrounding "Oppenheimer" is not an isolated incident. Other films and television shows have faced similar backlash from right-wing Hindu groups in recent years.
The BBC/Netflix adaptation of "A Suitable Boy" and the Amazon series "Tandav" were also accused of hurting religious sentiments and faced legal action. Despite the controversy, "Oppenheimer" has been well-received by audiences and has seen significant financial success in India.
The movie's popularity highlights the ongoing cultural and religious tensions that exist in the country. Overall, the release of "Oppenheimer" in India has ignited a heated debate regarding freedom of expression, religious sensitivities, and the impact of cultural representation in film.
The controversy surrounding the sex scene featuring a Hindu scripture demonstrates the complexities of navigating cultural boundaries and the challenges faced by filmmakers in a diverse and religiously sensitive society like India.