Days after the release of Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, a global box office hit, a Hindu-right backlash in India was sparked by a sex scene featuring the main character reading from the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Hindu text. Oppenheimer’s real-life fascination with Hinduism, evident in his translation of the Gita, led to its inclusion in the film.

Journalist Uday Mahurkar, founder of Save Culture Save India, expressed outrage in an open letter to Nolan, criticizing the scene’s explicit nature and its use of the revered scripture. Mahurkar urged the removal of the scene, questioning its relevance to Oppenheimer’s love story.

Despite the backlash, some disagreed with Mahurkar, criticizing his representation of all Hindus and drawing comparisons to Islam. Meanwhile, actor Cillian Murphy defended the scene’s deliberate inclusion, describing it as powerful and integral to the film’s impact.

Oppenheimer, depicting the life of atomic bomb creator J. Robert Oppenheimer, has already grossed $80 million in the US and $174 million globally.