Nitish Bhardwaj Reacts To Oppenheimer Bhagavad Gita Controversy

Christopher Nolan's movie Oppenheimer has faced criticism from a section of the Indian audience. The controversy revolves around a scene where the lead actor, Cillian Murphy, recites a line from the Bhagavad Gita during a sexual encounter. Nitish Bhardwaj, known for his portrayal of Lord Krishna in the Mahabharata, has now weighed in on the issue.

In a recent interview with E-Times, Nitish Bhardwaj expressed his support for the scene in Nolan's film. He explained that the Bhagavad Gita teaches the concept of duty in the midst of a battlefield, and in life, we all encounter various metaphorical battlefields. He defended the inclusion of the Gita's verse in the context of the movie's narrative.  

He defended the controversial scene and suggested that the use of the Bhagavad Gita verse should be understood in the context of Oppenheimer's emotional state, as the scientist may have regretted creating the atom bomb. Bhardwaj urged people to grasp Nolan's message about the destructive consequences of explosive technologies and emphasised the need for nuclear disarmament by the UN. He added, “Nolan’s message is loud & clear!”

Earlier, Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Anurag Thakur expressed displeasure over a sex scene in Oppenheimer. The scene features the titular character, played by Cillian Murphy, engaging in sexual intercourse while reciting verses from the Bhagavad Gita.

Here's all you need to know about the controversy.

Oppenheimer Bhagavad Gita Sex Scene Controversy

1. Expressing his resentment, the Union Minister questioned how such a scene was even allowed to pass through the censor board. According to the source, action might be taken against officials who are responsible for the same.

2. The film Oppenheimer, featuring actor Cillian Murphy as the lead and titular character, has a scene where he is having sexual intercourse with Jean Tatler, played by Florence Pugh, a psychologist. She asks him to read a verse from what seems to be a Sanskrit book; the title or cover of the book isn’t visible, though. As Tatler insists, Oppenheimer opens the book and reads out the verse she points to: "Now, I have become Death, destroyer of the world."

4. Oppenheimer, which was released throughout the globe along with Greta Gerwig’s Barbie on July 21, 2023, is a biopic of Robert Oppenheimer. He was the mind behind the world's first atomic bomb.

5. Controversies have surfaced on social media since the release of the film on Friday, with a section of netizens claiming that the lines Oppenheimer reads are from the Bhagavad Gita. They demanded that the scene be removed immediately. Hashtags such as #Boycottoppenheimer and #RespecthinduCulture have been trending on social media over the weekend.

One user asked why we haven’t boycotted a movie that insults our religion; they called it extremely disgusting. Another netizen called for the film boycott after they learned about the offensive scene involving the Bhagavad Gita in it. They said never to trust Bollywood and the West to depict Hinduism positively and accurately.

Uday Mahurkar, the Information Commissioner, termed the scene "a disturbing attack on Hinduism." Further, he wrote a letter to Christopher Nolan, appealing to the director to remove the background worldwide.

Suggested Reading: Christopher Nolan's 'Oppenheimer': Everything You Must Know