Cillian Murphy draws inspiration from Bhagavad Gita for 'Oppenheimer' role

Cillian Murphy revealed that he incorporated the Bhagavad Gita into his preparations for Christopher Nolan's upcoming film, Oppenheimer.

Murphy plays the lead role of J. Robert Oppenheimer, a renowned theoretical physicist known as one of the key figures behind the development of the atomic bomb.

During the aftermath of the successful testing of the world's first atomic bomb in 1945, Oppenheimer famously quoted a line from the Gita, stating, "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds." As a student of Sanskrit, he found solace in the sacred text.

In an interview with Sucharita Tyagi, Murphy was asked about Oppenheimer's connection to the Bhagavad Gita, and the actor acknowledged being influenced by it as well. He shared, “I did read the Bhagavad Gita in preparation, and I thought it was an absolutely beautiful text, very inspiring. I think it was a consolation to him, he kind of needed it and it provided him a lot of consolation, all his life.”

When pressed for his personal takeaways from the Gita, Murphy humorously replied, “Well don’t grill me on it!” He then added, “I just found it very beautiful.”

Oppenheimer, a historical drama featuring an ensemble cast including Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, and Florence Pugh, is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J Robert Oppenheimer, authored by Kai Bird and the late Martin J Sherwin.

Scheduled for release on July 21, Oppenheimer will face a box office showdown with Greta Gerwig's film Barbie. Following its premiere in Paris, the movie received glowing reviews, with many considering it to be one of Nolan's finest achievements to date.