I attended The Odyssey's Mumbai premiere — here's what it was like meeting Christopher Nolan and the cast

Journalism comes with its fair share of memorable assignments. Every once in a while, though, one comes along that reminds you why you fell in love with cinema in the first place. Covering The Odyssey's Mumbai premiere was one of those rare occasions.

Christopher Nolan. Tom Holland. Matt Damon. Emma Thomas.

They're names I've spent a while writing about. This time, however, they were all in Mumbai for The Odyssey's India premiere.

On 10 July, media personnel and fans gathered to watch the magnum opus that is The Odyssey. If you're expecting a film centred on Zeus, Poseidon or Hermes, think again. At its heart, it's an incredibly human story about surrender, acceptance and learning to let go of one's ego.

That's enough about the movie. Now back to the premiere.

The credits rolled. The lights came on. Moments later, Nolan, Holland, Damon and Thomas walked into the IMAX auditorium to thunderous applause and a standing ovation that lasted several minutes.

The four thanked audiences for their response to the film before speaking about the significance of holding The Odyssey's first-ever fan screening in Mumbai.

Nolan reflected on his long association with India, recalling his experiences filming in Jodhpur for The Dark Knight Rises and in Mumbai for Tenet. Bringing one of his biggest films to the city, he said, was something he had wanted to do for years.

Matt Damon, Tom Holland and Emma Thomas echoed those sentiments, thanking Indian audiences for the affection they have shown the team over the years.

As the evening came to a close, attendees walked away with an IMAX-exclusive popcorn bucket — a fitting keepsake from a memorable premiere.

The following day shifted gears from celebration to conversation as the cast and filmmakers sat down with the media to discuss the film and their time in Mumbai.

When asked why he chose Mumbai to host The Odyssey's premiere, Nolan didn't hesitate.

"I met a lot of filmmakers and really got to know a little bit about the film culture here. I've never been anywhere in the world with an appreciation of what movies can be and what they should be for audiences. To me, it seemed crazy that we wouldn't be bringing our films here to Mumbai for Mumbai audiences," he said.

He added, "We actually intended to come with Tenet because it was filmed here in Mumbai. Then, because of the pandemic, we weren't able to. So finally we're actually able to. It's a thrill. We wanted to do this for years. I've had two experiences working in India, once in Jodhpur and one in Mumbai. It was fabulous."

Another highlight came when Matt Damon was asked which Indian filmmaker he would most like to collaborate with.

His answer was immediate: Shekhar Kapur.

"I remember that when we were starting out, everyone wanted to collaborate with Shekhar Kapur. I remember when I couldn't do The Four Feathers for some reason, I was really upset about that. I think I was signed up for a Bourne movie. So, I guess, he has always been on my list and I would like to have another go. That's like a 20-year-old little debt I've been carrying around in my pocket."

The press conference also produced one of its lighter moments.

While discussing cinema's universal appeal, Nolan worked in an unexpected reference to Tom Holland's upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day, leaving Holland, Damon, Emma Thomas and the room laughing.

Speaking about the love his films receive in India, Nolan said, "I believe that films have a universal language. One of the reasons I enjoy about working on large-scale films is that you get to take them around the world and you get to connect with different cultures all across the world. When films really connect and have universal themes, which I hope The Odyssey does, it's wonderful how it brings us all together. For us, to go on a road and travel and come here so, I was supposed to say, far from home!"

He then added with perfect comic timing, "If you see only one Tom Holland film this summer…"

Emma Thomas also acknowledged the loyal audience Nolan's films have cultivated in India, thanking fans for their continued support.

Covering premieres often means watching a film, attending a red carpet and filing a story before deadline. This one felt different.

Between witnessing The Odyssey's first Mumbai fan screening and hearing Nolan speak about finally bringing one of his films to the city after years of trying, it was an assignment that doubled as a reminder of just how global cinema has become.