Christopher Nolan reveals 'The Odyssey' isn't the first film he planned to premiere in India

Christopher Nolan’s India tour for his upcoming film 'The Odyssey' has been one of the most talked-about conversations in recent days. After a thunderous response to the film’s first global fan screening, held in Mumbai on Friday, the acclaimed filmmaker revealed that long before 'The Odyssey', he had planned to promote 'Tenet' in India, a visit that ultimately could not materialise. 

Nolan, the Oscar-winning filmmaker, who is no stranger to the country, has previously shot in India twice - first in Jodhpur for 'The Dark Knight Rises' and later in Mumbai for 'Tenet'. Recalling how the idea of premiering his films in India first came about, the 'Oppenheimer' director shared that it was a friend who suggested it.

“It first came to my mind years ago, brought by my friend Shivendra, to do a conference about the future of film. I met a lot of filmmakers (in India) and really got to know a little bit about the film culture here. I've never met anyone in the world with an appreciation of what movies can be and what they should be for audiences. And to me, it seemed crazy that we wouldn't be bringing our films here to premiere them for Mumbai audiences.”

Speaking about the original plan to promote 'Tenet' in India, Nolan explained why the visit never happened.

“We actually intended to come with ‘Tenet’ originally because we filmed here in Mumbai. And then, because of the pandemic, we weren't able to. And so finally we're actually able to (with ‘The Odyssey’). It's a thrill. We've wanted to do this for years.”

Reflecting on his time in India, Nolan also spoke about his experiences shooting in both Jodhpur and Mumbai, while praising the country's locations and film crews.

“I've had two experiences working in India, one in Jodhpur, one in Mumbai, and it was fabulous. I mean, certainly, for somebody coming with fresh eyes to this city, everywhere you look, there's something that you want to photograph as a filmmaker. Everywhere you see, you see texture, you see things, and it was such a pleasure to engage with local crews, and we had wonderful assistant directors, and camera crew, and it was fantastic.”

The filmmaker, who enjoys a massive fan following in India, also reflected on why audiences across the world, including India, continue to connect with his films, crediting the universal nature of cinema.

“I just like to think that films are a universal language. It's one of the reasons. One of the things I most enjoy about working on large-scale films is you get to take them around the world, and you get to connect with different cultures all across the world. And I think when films really connect, when they have universal themes and timeless themes, as I hope that ‘The Odyssey’ does, it's wonderful how it brings us together.”

Meanwhile, Emma Thomas, Nolan’s wife and producer of 'The Odyssey', also spoke about Hollywood's growing interest in the Indian market. Appreciating the country's vibrant film culture, she said India is demonstrating that the future of cinema still lies in theatres.

“You have such a vibrant Bollywood and other Indian film tradition here, and I'm thrilled that Hollywood is also seeing potential for bringing films here. I think that there's been a lot of talk in Hollywood about people not going to the cinema anymore, and I think that India is showing us that actually, the future is in theatres. So we're very happy to be able to bring this film here, we're very happy that there will be many more films here, and we're very happy that Hollywood films are doing such great business here, because ultimately, as Chris said, what we love to do is make films that resonate with people around the world, and so it's a huge privilege to be able to release movies in India,” she concluded.