Dunkirk sparked Christopher Nolan's dream of bringing The Odyssey to Mumbai

Mumbai's overwhelming love for cinema has long been evident through Christopher Nolan's devoted fanbase in India. But for producer Emma Thomas, experiencing that enthusiasm in person while promoting The Odyssey has been every bit as memorable as she had imagined.

Emma Thomas: ‘Dunkirk inspired Christopher to bring The Odyssey to India’

During a press conference in Mumbai attended by Nolan, actors Tom Holland and Matt Damon, and Thomas, the Oscar-winning producer was asked how special it was to finally bring The Odyssey to India ahead of its release and witness the country's passion for the filmmaker's work firsthand.

Thomas revealed that bringing one of Nolan's films to India had been on their minds for years, adding that an earlier visit with Dunkirk had planted the seed for what has now become a reality.

Emma said, “As Chris said, it's something we have wanted to do for a long time - to bring a film here [in Mumbai]. And we have obviously heard about the passion and the excitement of the audience, but it is amazing to see it in person. We also had a little taste of it a few years back. We brought a print of Dunkirk and screened it here, and that was amazing.”

The Oscar-winning producer added, "And I think that was actually, in many ways, the sort of catalyst for wanting to bring a new film here. It's such a privilege. We are so lucky to do what we do in general, but this experience of bringing a film here and getting to see audiences here and sort of really see what the cinemas look like and just be here with you, it's just a huge privilege, and we know how lucky we are."

Nolan had earlier echoed the same sentiment, saying the team had hoped to visit India during the release of Tenet, but those plans were disrupted by the pandemic. The success of the Dunkirk screening and the enduring support from Indian audiences only strengthened their desire to eventually launch a film in the country.

The Mumbai visit marked a significant milestone for Nolan and his longtime producing partner (and wife) Thomas, as The Odyssey became the filmmaker's first film to receive a major premiere and fan screening in India.

The event drew hundreds of fans eager to welcome the team, with Tom Holland and Matt Damon joining Nolan and Thomas for interactions with the audience before the screening.

Based on Homer's ancient Greek epic, The Odyssey stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, with Tom Holland portraying his son Telemachus. The film is scheduled for a global theatrical release on 17 July and has already generated enormous anticipation worldwide, with its India visit underlining the growing importance of the country's cinema-going audience in Hollywood's global release strategy.