Always A Thrill to be in India: Christopher Nolan at The Odyssey Fan Screening Mumbai
10 July 2026 8:38 PM IST10 July 2026 8:38 PM IST
Whistles, standing ovations and thunderous applause greeted Christopher Nolan, Matt Damon and Tom Holland as they premiered The Odyssey before Indian audiences in Mumbai
Oscar-winning filmmaker Christopher Nolan, Hollywood stars Matt Damon, Tom Holland, and Emma Thomas in Mumbai during the India premiere of their upcoming film The Odyssey.
Long before Academy award winning director, Christopher Nolan spoke a word, the auditorium had already said everything. The moment the filmmaker walked in after a special fan screening of his upcoming film, ‘The Odyssey’ in Mumbai, whistles, cheers and a standing ovation filled the theatre. Nolan waited patiently for the credits to finish rolling before stepping up to the microphone, choosing to let the audience complete the experience before beginning a conversation with them.
Addressing the packed auditorium, Nolan smiled and said, "Thank you so much on behalf of all of us for doing this. It is the first time and you were amongst the first to witness this. By the way, did you like the film?,” he asked.
The roaring approval from the audience prompted another question from the filmmaker. "Who is better, Matt or Tom?" he asked. Instead of choosing between the two stars, the crowd pointed back at Nolan himself, drawing laughter across the theatre. Smiling at the response, he simply said, "They are both fantastic."
The filmmaker also reflected on his long association with India. "Thank you for welcoming us. It's always a thrill to be in India. I have had the pleasure of filming here. Every time we come here, it is a very special experience with Indian audiences," he said.
For Matt Damon, who leads the film, the Mumbai premiere carried a different significance. While the cast had already watched the film with family and friends, he said this was the first time they were experiencing genuine audience reactions.
"This is really just one... we have had a premiere already, but that's like our family and friends. This is the first real audience we have been in front of for this film. So it means the world to us that you liked it," Damon said, drawing another loud round of thunderous applause.
He reminded the audience that the film represented the efforts of thousands of people working behind the scenes. "We worked very, very hard on it. It was the result of thousands of crew members. I just want to thank everybody here. We are privileged to get to make this film and you have made it really special for us,” he said, before adding,
“I think we are all bonded now with something so special."
Tom Holland echoed the emotion, saying the affection they receive in India is unlike anywhere else. "From the bottom of my heart, thank you for always welcoming us with such open arms, with so much happiness and excitement and grace and love," he said.
"I think no one brings an energy to a movie theatre like you do here in India. So thank you for supporting us, thank you for enjoying Chris's amazing work and I cannot wait for this movie to be seen by all. Thank you so much."
For a city that has grown up celebrating cinema as passionately as it celebrates cricket, the evening felt like a shared celebration between storytellers and the people who keep those stories alive. Indian fans clearly gave Christopher Nolan and his team something every filmmaker hopes for before a film reaches the world: the reassurance that their story had already found its first believers.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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