American Movie Oppenheimer directed by Christopher Nolan was released in mid-July 2023 .The movie which has actor lCillian Murphy in the central role of the famous American scientist confronts us with a detailed view of the historical turning point in matters of war and peace.American scientist J.Oppenheimer is often considered as the father of the nuclear bomb as he was the central character responsible for turning the greatest scientific invention in the history of mankind into the most powerful weapon of mass destruction. However, there was a long train of events that culminated in the final decision for making an atomic bomb. The movie highlights various decisions which call the technical aspects of the bomb and the deliberations which led to the first explosion of the nuclear bomb at a trial site on 15th July 1945.
The viewers are also taken through the deliberations of various committees and discussions with a group of administrators to show the complications which cropped up before the great scientist after the historic incident of a nuclear explosion. Such historic incidents are usually followed up with many smaller incidents creating complications for the major players. The movie shows that this up and down phenomenon happened in this case also. For several years after the historic nuclear explosion the scientist was suspected on various grounds of his loyalty to the country and for political ideologies that followed him at various stages of life. It took quite some time before this matter of suspicion over his loyalty to his country finally settled down. The movie shows that mankind does not learn from its mistakes and similar incidents haunt the great achievers because certain human beings are bound to criticize all great things for certain negative reasons.
The film also highlights the dedication of the Army officers and the Nuclear Scientists who built up an entire township for facilitating various activities related to this unique project. The groundwork was done at breakneck speed to complete the infrastructure in record time and the final explosion of the test version was considered a tribute to the fighting spirit of mankind.
The movie has some funny side also such as the moment when a top politician of the country advises the scientists to not to worry too much about the negative opinion which would be generated by the nuclear bomb because he was sure that nobody would remember the Scientist as the blame or credit would entirely be on the political leaders. At one stage the great scientist was also advised to turn his back on the country like the great Einstein.
As I was ruminating over the great movie on way to home one idea which flashed in my mind was that the talented filmmaker did miss one thing and that was formal recitations of shlok from sacred Bhagwat Geeta by the great Oppenhiemer as he is said to have felt calm after understanding the Karma philosophy.That would have been a great value addition for lovers of Karma philosophy.
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