Kamal Haasan hails Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey: ‘Now, please sit uncomfortably on this throne’

Veteran actor and filmmaker Kamal Haasan has praised Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, describing the epic as a landmark cinematic achievement that left him deeply moved and inspired him to revisit his long-held ambitions as a director.

Kamal Haasan reviews Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey

In a video shared on social media, Haasan reflected on his experience after watching the film, recalling the first words he spoke when asked for his expert opinion.

“Dear Odyssey, the cinema. I walked out of the theater, arrogant that I am a child of the great storytelling tool, cinema. I had company. The first words that came out when my company looked at me for expert comments. My words. "I'm humbled". After a lot of silence, I said, stories make us. I heard a fading voice, a very faint one among the silent crowd, still stunned, stuck in the ringing voices, music, flesh, water, steel, and bones. Faint voice. "Why did they say it was a leftist movie? Is it now left to be right?"

“Valor can be practiced, but will comes to very few. See Nolan has the will and the practice to valor tutored by it. I saw many young teary-eyed cinema lovers. My eyes were dry with envy. Also, life and my little victories in cinema had probably dried them. Happy for the wetness in my mind still. I always wanted to be a director of cinema. Now, I will strive not to be remembered just as an actor. Thank you, Nolan, for waking up slumbering giants, midgets, artists, genius, whomsoever they may be, or I may be. Thank you. As in all victories, the valiant and talented soldiers may not be remembered by individual names. But I read each one, and mumbled each name that rolled under the credits. Bravo, soldiers.

“And now, please sit uncomfortably on this throne. It's yours for now, Nolan.

“Yours, Kamal Hassan.”

Haasan’s comments praised not only Nolan’s direction but also the work of the film’s wider creative and technical team. He said he remained in the theatre through the credits, reading and quietly repeating the names of the people involved in the production.

In a separate post, Haasan offered a shorter assessment of the film and linked Nolan’s adaptation to the ancient Greek poet Homer, whose epic poem serves as the source material.

He wrote, “Homer dreamt it. Nolan dared it. I applauded it. Children of cinema, this film belongs to the ages. Must watch! As #TheOdyssey continues its epic voyage across the world, my ode will greet audiences in theatres in India. I’ll share it here soon. P.S. The CBFC got the first preview! It approved (sic).”

The reference to the Central Board of Film Certification, or CBFC, indicates that the film has received approval for its theatrical release in India. Haasan also said his tribute to the film would be shown in cinemas alongside its Indian release.

About The Odyssey

Written and directed by Christopher Nolan, who also produced the film alongside his wife, Emma Thomas, The Odyssey is an adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek epic poem. The film features an ensemble cast led by Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Samantha Morton, Zendaya and Charlize Theron.

Damon stars as Odysseus, the Greek king of Ithaca, who embarks on a long and perilous journey home following the Trojan War. As he faces mythical creatures and formidable challenges, Odysseus attempts to reunite with his wife, Penelope, played by Hathaway.

Nolan began writing the screenplay in March 2024 and secured the project with Universal Pictures by October that year. The Odyssey premiered at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in London on 6 July 2026, before Universal Pictures released it theatrically in the United States and the United Kingdom on 17 July. The film was also released in IMAX and other premium large-screen formats.

The film received widespread critical acclaim, with Nolan’s direction earning particular praise. It has grossed $707.1 million worldwide, making it the fourth-highest-grossing film of 2026. The release also set several records for Nolan, including strong pre-sales for premium-format screenings that were made available a year before the film’s theatrical debut.