Cillian Murphy has defended some scenes from Oppenheimer film that left ‘one billion’ people offended.
The blockbuster movie, which is based on the American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer, has seen a huge success since it was released on July 21.
But many viewers were left uncomfortable because of a particular scene between Murphy and co-star Florence Pugh, in which she held up one of the holiest scriptures of Hinduism – Bhagavad Gita – while having s*x.
The scene was not received well in many parts of India, with a journalist named Uday Mahurkar writing an open letter to Christopher Nolan to express people’s disappointment.
Mahurkar, the founder of Save Culture Save India (SCSI), wrote: “It has come to our notice that the movie Oppenheimer contains a scene which makes a scathing attack on Hinduism.
“As per social media reports, a scene in the movie shows a woman making a man read Bhagwad Geeta aloud while getting over him and doing s*xual intercourse. She is holding Bhagwad Geeta in one hand, and the other hand seems to be adjusting the position of their reproductive organs.”
Mahurkar went on: “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.”
He also added that he did not see the ‘motivation and logic behind this unnecessary scene.’
“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,” he added.
Murphy was quick to explain why the scenes were necessary for the storytelling.
In an interview with British GQ, he said: “I think the relationship that he has with Jean Tatlock is one of the most crucial emotional parts of the film. I think if they’re key to the story then they’re worthwhile. Listen, no one likes doing them, they’re the most awkward possible part of our job.
“But sometimes you have to get on with it.”
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