Long before The Odyssey brought Christopher Nolan back to India, the Oscar-winning filmmaker had already planned a visit. Nolan revealed that he had intended to premiere Tenet in the country in 2020 after filming key sequences in Mumbai, but the COVID-19 pandemic derailed those plans. Speaking in Mumbai alongside producer Emma Thomas and actors Matt Damon and Tom Holland ahead of The Odyssey’s India premiere, the director explained why returning to India had remained on his mind for years.
Recalling his first visit to India, Nolan said, “I first came to India years ago for a conference on the future of film culture,” Nolan said. “My friend Shivendra Singh Dungarpur brought me here. I met a lot of filmmakers and got to know a little bit about the film culture here. I’ve never been anywhere else in the world with such an appreciation of what movies can be and what they should be for audiences.”
Christopher Nolan says COVID derailed plans to premiere Tenet in India
He added that the experience left a lasting impression on him and made him keen to return. “We actually intended to come here for the premiere of Tenet, which we filmed here, but we couldn’t because of the pandemic. So, coming to India has really been on our minds for a very long time.”
Released in 2020, Tenet featured several sequences shot in Mumbai in 2019 and starred John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Kenneth Branagh and Dimple Kapadia.
‘India is showing the future is in theatres’
Nolan’s wife and longtime producing partner, Emma Thomas, echoed his sentiments, saying India’s love for cinema stands out globally. “India is clearly a market that loves cinema. I’m thrilled that Hollywood is seeing so much potential here,” she said. Referring to the growing concerns in Hollywood over declining theatrical attendance, Thomas added, “There’s a lot of conversation in Hollywood about people not going to theatres, but India is showing that the future is in theatres.”
Thomas added that experiencing Indian audiences in person only reinforced their decision to include India on The Odyssey’s promotional tour.
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“We had obviously heard about the passion of audiences here, but it’s amazing to see it in person. We actually screened a print of Dunkirk (2017), and seeing that response was incredible. That was actually a catalyst for bringing this film here.”
The enthusiasm for Nolan’s films in India isn’t new. His previous release, Oppenheimer (2023), earned over Rs 130 crore at the Indian box office, making the country one of the film’s strongest international markets.
After premieres in London and Paris, India became the only stop on The Odyssey’s global promotional tour to host a dedicated fan screening.
Christopher Nolan’s playful joke about Tom Holland
Nolan also joked about Tom Holland while speaking to the audience. “It feels completely thrilling to come to a place… I was going to say ‘so far from home,’” playfully referencing Tom Holland’s 2019 film Spider-Man: Far From Home.
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Turning to Holland, he added with a smile, “If you’re going to see one Tom Holland movie this year…,” before leaving the sentence unfinished, drawing laughter from the audience and the actor alike. Holland’s next superhero outing, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, is set to release in Indian cinemas on July 30, just weeks after The Odyssey.
About The Odyssey
Written and directed by Christopher Nolan, The Odyssey releases in Indian theatres on July 17. Inspired by Homer’s ancient Greek epic, the film follows King Odysseus as he battles mythical creatures and impossible odds on his journey home after the Trojan War. The cast includes Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Samantha Morton, Zendaya and Charlize Theron.
