A sex scene from the hit film ‘Oppenheimer’, which quotes a passage from the Bhagavad-Gita, one of Hinduism’s fundamental texts, is angering Hindus in India with demands for it to be cut.

The film “Oppenheimer” has been highly anticipated by Indian audiences and has finally arrived on screens in the country. This feature film traces the life of Robert Oppenheimer, an American physicist whose work marked the world’s entry into the nuclear age. Portrayed on screen by Irish actor Cilian Murphy, Oppenheimer is portrayed in a sequence where he shares an intimate moment with his lover, Jean Tatlock, played by Florence Pugh. In this scene, Jean Tatlock opens a copy of the Bhagavad-Gita and asks the scientist to read a passage.

It is at this precise moment that the shocking words are spoken: now I have become Death, the destroyer of worlds“. According to Oppenheimer’s recollections, this sentence would have come to mind during the first American test of nuclear weapons on July 16, 1945 in the desert of New Mexico, thus marking the beginning of the nuclear age.

Growing tension in India

Oppenheimer: A film that unleashes anger in India

The Bhagavad-Gita is a poem written in Sanskrit between the 2nd and 5th centuries BC and is considered one of the fundamental texts of Hinduism. It is here that lies the object of the wrath of the Hindus in India.

Human rights activists in India are increasingly concerned about religious intolerance that has been growing in the country since Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in 2014. This controversial scene from “Oppenheimer” adds a new dimension to concerns, prompting strong reactions and calling for the footage to be censored.

Requests to delete the scene in the film Oppenheimer

Following the release of the film, Uday Mahurkar, a senior official with the government’s Central Information Committee, wrote a letter to Christopher Nolan, the film’s director, calling the scene “direct attack on the religious beliefs of a billion tolerant Hindus“.

He even goes so far as to state that it is equivalent to ” start a war against the Hindu community“. On social networks, hashtags such as #BoycottOppenheimer Or #RespectHinduCulture bloomed, showing the extent of the discontent.

The conservative Hindu organization Vishwa Hindu Parishad has also joined calls for the controversial footage to be removed. According to her, the film seeks to ” tackle Hindu society, leading to a demand for an apology from the Hindu community around the world.

Hinduism in India

Hinduism is the majority religion in India, coexisting with significant religious minorities, notably the Muslim community. The wounds inflicted on the feelings of the Hindu community by this scene from “Oppenheimer” therefore spark a lively debate on religious tolerance and freedom of expression in the country.

Oppenheimer: A film that unleashes anger in India

It now remains to be seen how the film’s producers and director will respond to these pleas and whether they will choose to alter the scene in question to appease the tensions or if they will assert their right to artistic freedom.

Either way, “Oppenheimer” managed to capture attention and stir intense emotions in India, leading audiences to reflect on the implications of freedom of expression and respect for religious beliefs.

Oppenheimer: A film that unleashes anger in India