Showing posts with label The Odyssey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Odyssey. Show all posts
Box office collections jump 17% as Indian films deliver across genres
9:40 AM
Rising footfalls, which touched 378 m during Jan-June, and Hollywood hits add to stellar collections this year so far: Experts
Rajesh N Naidu (THE TIMES OF INDIA; October 21, 2026)
Mumbai: The performance of Indian films so far in 2026 provides hope of a sustained revival in the industry. Box office collections and footfalls at movie theatres have both posted healthy growth, according to a study by media and entertainment research firm Ormax Media. More importantly, according to film industry experts, movies across sizes, languages and genres have done well, in what a trade analyst termed as “revival of range”.
Footfalls at movie theatres increased 5% from a year earlier to 378 million between January and June this year, show Ormax Media data. Footfalls in the last three years had either fallen or stayed flat. Cumulative box-office collection in the nine months ended September grew 17% to Rs. 11,000 crore from Rs. 9,409 crore a year earlier.
The year is also about the returns that films across languages generated relative to their budgets, said producer Anand Pandit. “Audiences have increasingly accepted stories which feel authentic,” he added.
Malayalam film Bethlehem Kudumba Unit, made on a budget of Rs. 25 crore, collected Rs. 192 crore in India alone. Films across sizes and genres have shown similar success. These include Hanuman Ansh (small-budget, devotional), Awarapan 2 (mid-budget, romance), Mirzapur The Movie (OTT, mid-budget), DC (mid-budget, slick action), Irumudi (mid-budget, devotional), Premada Oorali (small-budget, family drama) and Dhurandhar The Revenge (big-budget, franchise value).
Changing audience preferences and tastes are the key reasons behind these successes, said producers. “Theatrical audience is coming in for newer experiences and rejecting ‘sameness’,” said producer Sunir Khetrpal. “Audiences are gradually but definitely becoming agnostic about genres, language or star status.”
Increasingly, regional makers have been focusing on their home territories first. After resonating with their audiences in home states, these films travel to other territories through word-of-mouth recommendations and social media discussions.
These films have demonstrated that theatrical success is more about emotional connection with stories, said producer and film business expert Girish Johar. “Emotional connection with stories is a common aspect in most theatrical successes across languages in 2026,” he said.
A similar story has played out in the India box office performance of Hollywood films as well. Films across scales and genres such as Obsession, Michael and The Odyssey have succeeded in India.
“Social media platforms, especially Instagram, YouTube, shorts and forums such as Reddit, are increasingly building audiences for Hollywood films in India,” said Shaaminder Malik, a distributor and film business expert.
In the remaining period of 2026, Hollywood films such as Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three, and Hindi films such as Ramayana and King are expected to boost collection further, said film trade analysts.
They expect Hollywood’s contribution to India’s box office likely to grow to 20-21% from the historical average of 15%.
| Language Share of India Box Office (%) | |||
| Language | 2026* | 2025 | |
| Hindi | 39 | 38 | |
| Telugu | 18 | 20 | |
| Tamil | 13 | 15 | |
| International | 14 | 12 | |
| Malayalam | 8 | 9 | |
| Kannada | 3 | NA | |
| Others | 5 | 6 | |
| Source: Ormax Media, *data till September | |||
Lights, camera, action: Hollywood set for record India box-office glory
9:31 AM
Total collection reaches Rs. 1,424 crore in seven months of 2026, close to historical high seen in 2019
Rajesh N Naidu (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; August 31, 2036)
Mumbai: Hollywood is experiencing a standout performance in India this year buoyed by box-office wins of several releases. Total collections reached Rs. 1,424 crores in the first seven months of 2026, per a study by Ormax Media study, a media and entertainment research firm. Notably, the figure is close to Hollywood's historically high collection of Rs. 1,595 crores in 2019.
Films such as Obsession, Michael, Project Hail Mary, The Odyssey, Evil Dead Burn, The Devil Wears Prada 2, Lee Cronin's The Mummy, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day helped drive the stellar show.
Producers, distributors and film trade analysts are optimistic that the share of international films in India's total box-office collections will reach 20-25% this year, surpassing the historical high of 15% in 2019.
A key aspect in the success of Hollywood films is its appeal across genres. While biopics and epics such as Michael, The Odyssey and original IPs such as Project Hail Mary and Obsession found strong appeal among cinegoers, franchises such as Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Evil Dead Burn proved the power of loyal audience following.
"There is a Hollywood resurgence in India," said Suniel Wadhwa, cofounder and director at Karmic Films.
The share of international films in total box office collections slipped from 15% in 2019, to 9% in 2023, before recovering to 10% in 2025, said film trade analysts.
According to Ormax Media, between this January and July, this share has jumped to 17%. "Hollywood films' share in India's box office will cross 20% market share by the end of 2026," said Wadhwa of Karmic Films.
Producers are confident of the robust momentum sustaining thanks to the release lineup of mass and cult franchise films such as Avengers: Doomsday, Dune: Part Three, Godzilla Minus Zero, and Jumanji: Open World.
"Spider-Man is the highest-grossing Hollywood film in India," said producer Rajesh R Nair. "I estimate Avengers: Doomsday will be another blockbuster. It has already crossed $100 million in pre-sales globally. Indians have loved its trailer. Also, there is Dune: Part Three, which will release in the IMAX format, thereby further boosting collection. So, the overall Hollywood share could rise sharply."
Social media and streaming platforms are increasingly playing a key role in expanding the Indian audience base of Hollywood films.
Awarapan 2, DC, Chennai Love Story: Mid-budget movies scripting success at box office too
2:32 PM
Recent movies made at a budget of about Rs. 50 cr have become huge theatrical hits as audiences open up to realistic stories
Rajesh N Naidu (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; August 20, 2026)
Mumbai: The mid-budget theatrical space is increasingly seeing signs of clear recovery. This is demonstrated in the box office performance of recent mid-budget films across languages.
Recent mid-budget films, such as Awarapan 2 (Hindi), DC (Tamil), and Chennai Love Story (Telugu), have each collected Rs 59-Rs 100 crore at the box office. These films have been made in the budget range of Rs. 15-50 crore,
This impressive box office yield, especially amid the stupendous and sweeping success of Hollywood spectacles or event films such as The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, has challenged the general assumption that audiences prefer to watch mid-budget films only on streaming platforms and not in theatres, the film fraternity told ET.
In the past few years, the mid-budget theatrical space has gradually turned into a risky bet as a category. High ticket prices, rapid acceptance of streaming platforms, increasing focus of streamers on profitability and costs, and a clear preference for big-budget films among streamers to boost their brand equity impacted the recovery of investments in mid-budget theatrical films.
Additionally, many mid-budget theatrical films have bombed, reducing audience interest in this space.
But recent successes show that audiences have not abandoned this space.
Compelling Content
“A strong story, emotional connection, music, nostalgia and word-of-mouth can still turn a mid-budget film into a theatrical event,” said Suniel Wadhwa, co-founder & director, Karmic Films.
Historically, mid-budget films have always been realistic stories. Interestingly, after the pandemic, audiences have become more open to realistic stories than escapist fares, seasoned regional producers told ET.
“Usually, one would expect audiences to lap up light content, especially after a life-changing pandemic period. But the data shows that audiences have been liking horror and realistic content. Unlike in the past, today’s audiences want to watch realistic stories and not escape from them. And this expectation is being fulfilled by mid-budget films,” said Naveen Chandra, founder and CEO of 91 Film Studios, a company that produces, finances, and distributes regional films.
Also, high acceptance of streamers for entertainment has not necessarily killed appetite for mid-budget films. On the contrary, streamers’ content has raised audience tastes.
“Streamers have made audiences selective about mid-budget movies and not anti-theatrical,” said Shaaminder Malik, a film distributor and trade analyst.
Audiences, too, want community experiences outside their personal devices. This craving has brought about a certain openness toward genres and sizes of films. If they find a connection or reason for watching a film of any size through their social media networks, then they watch it.
“After almost indulgent content consumption on streamers during the pandemic and a few years after it, today’s audiences are experiencing a sense of fatigue about watching streaming content on devices. They are finding a sense of community in theatre visits and live events,” explained Girish Johar, producer and film business expert.
In the past few years, producers have been supporting the idea of high mid-budget films due to increasing uncertainty in box office performance of films.
“The future cannot be only about Rs. 300-500 crore spectacles. A Rs. 10-50 crore film that audiences turn into a Rs. 100-150 crore success is a more sustainable model,” said Wadhwa of Karmic Films.
Christopher Nolan's dubbed films account for up to 30% of India box office collections
9:12 AM
Rajesh Naidu (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; July 28, 2026)
Mumbai: Hollywood director Christopher Nolan’s appeal in India is no longer confined to urban, English-speaking audiences. Dubbed versions of the acclaimed filmmaker’s movies are steadily gaining ground, contributing a major chunk of box-office receipts over the past decade, signalling the growing reach of his cinema beyond its traditional audience base.
The contribution of Nolan’s films dubbed in multiple Indian languages to their total India collections is as high as 30%, sealing his position as arguably the only international director with a genuine pan-India following, distributors, producers, and executives at dubbing companies told ET.
The dubbed versions in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu of past Nolan releases such as Inception and Tenet contributed 30% each to their total India collections, according to the data shared by Warner Bros. Theatrical, a division of Warner Bros. Discovery. In the past, Warner Bros. Theatrical has distributed all key films of Nolan in India—The Batman Trilogy, Inception, Interstellar, Dunkirk, and Tenet.
Continuing with this trend, in ten days since its release, the dubbed versions—Hindi, Tamil and Telugu—of Nolan’s latest release, The Odyssey, contributed 20% (Rs. 28 crore) to its total India collection of Rs 140 crore, showed the data shared by Warner Bros Theatrical division.
This is a noteworthy feat, especially for an English film in India. Warner Bros. Theatrical, also called as Warner Bros. Pictures, has a licensing deal to market and distribute all Universal films in India. Universal Pictures is the distributor of the film The Odyssey.
Distributors highlighted a fundamental shift in the audience base of Nolan’s films in the country as new fans across Indian languages discover his productions.
“Since its release, more audiences have experienced The Odyssey in their own language in India than in the entire run of any Nolan film,” said Denzil Dias, vice president and managing director, India Theatrical at Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of Warner Bros. Pictures.
“These are not converted fans. These are new fans who are discovering a Nolan film for the first time in Hindi, in Telugu, in Tamil. This is not a box office but an audience story.”
Distributors and producers say despite primarily being a Hollywood release, universal themes across Nolan’s films help cross any language barriers.
“Even though Nolan’s films are intellectually layered, they transcend language barriers largely because they contain universal themes,” said Suniel Wadhwa, cofounder & director, Karmic Films. “I experienced this when I released Inception in the Mysore (Karnataka) territory in 2010.”
Seamless and effective dubbing has also contributed to this trend, said dubbing companies.
“Today, the dubbing quality of films has improved considerably,” said Ashim Shakti Samanta, Aradhana Films, a company which dubbed The Odyssey in multiple Indian languages. “It is quite faithful to the original films. What drives audiences from different Indian languages to Nolan’s films is strong emotions.”
“Apart from the badge of bragging rights, audiences across India watch a Nolan film largely for an intellectual experience in which understanding acquires more significance than emotional depth,” said Yogesh Parkar, a banking professional and a Nolan admirer. “He fulfils this expectation in almost every film.”
“Over the years, Nolan has become the ‘event’ in all his event films,” he said. “In India, there is a fanbase for Hollywood superhero and horror films. But the nationwide excitement Nolan’s films generate cannot be matched even by films of acclaimed directors such as Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg.”
| Christopher Nolan's films India Box Office Performance | |||
| Film | India (Rs cr gross) | English share (%) | Dubbed share (%) |
| The Dark Knight | 25 | 90 | 10 |
| Inception | 35 | 70 | 30 |
| The Dark Knight Rises | 56 | 85 | 15 |
| Tenet | 15.1 | 70 | 30 |
| Oppenheimer | 158 | 91 | 9* |
| The Odyssey** | 140 | 80 | 20 |
| Source: Warner Bros Theatrical, *dubbed only in Hindi, **only 10 days | |||
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 944
4:10 PM
DHAMAAL 4 CONTINUES ITS SUCCESSFUL RIDE; THE ODYSSEY IS A SMASH HIT
It’s a good month for the industry as two diverse films, belonging to diverse industries, are doing very well at the box office. Dhamaal 4 that had a great first week managed to hold well at the box office in Week 2 as well, despite competition from The Odyssey.
Dhamaal 4 collected Rs. 94.75 crores in Week 1 and then had a marginal drop on its eighth day, which it collected Rs. 5.25 crores. The collections jumped to Rs. 10 crores on Saturday and Rs. 12 crores on Sunday. The weekday earnings are steady. Until Tuesday, Dhamaal 4 has collected Rs. 128.75 crores. If it remains strong in the third week, it has all chances to cross the lifetime earnings of Total Dhamaal – Rs. 150.07 crores.
Meanwhile, The Odyssey is having a fine run as well. It collected Rs. 16 crores on Friday, Rs. 20.75 crores on Saturday and Rs. 20 crores on Sunday. Thus, the weekend collections are Rs. 56.75 crores and the first week earnings would be in the range of Rs. 80-85 crores. Its aim is to cross the Oppenheimer figure of Rs. 130 crores, and its quite possible since the film has historic trend in the IMAX and other premium formats. All shows of the film in IMAX in the weekdays, even the ones at 6:00 am or 7:00 am, have healthy occupancy. Tickets of the next week are already selling fast and their prices are high. As a result, the film can go anywhere from here.
However, Spider-Man: Brand New Day will arrive in cinemas on July 30. The excitement for it is also insane and it’ll definitely dent the collections of The Odyssey. However, The Odyssey will retain the IMAX screens and that would prove beneficial for its collections in the long run.
It’s a good month for the industry as two diverse films, belonging to diverse industries, are doing very well at the box office. Dhamaal 4 that had a great first week managed to hold well at the box office in Week 2 as well, despite competition from The Odyssey.
Dhamaal 4 collected Rs. 94.75 crores in Week 1 and then had a marginal drop on its eighth day, which it collected Rs. 5.25 crores. The collections jumped to Rs. 10 crores on Saturday and Rs. 12 crores on Sunday. The weekday earnings are steady. Until Tuesday, Dhamaal 4 has collected Rs. 128.75 crores. If it remains strong in the third week, it has all chances to cross the lifetime earnings of Total Dhamaal – Rs. 150.07 crores.
Meanwhile, The Odyssey is having a fine run as well. It collected Rs. 16 crores on Friday, Rs. 20.75 crores on Saturday and Rs. 20 crores on Sunday. Thus, the weekend collections are Rs. 56.75 crores and the first week earnings would be in the range of Rs. 80-85 crores. Its aim is to cross the Oppenheimer figure of Rs. 130 crores, and its quite possible since the film has historic trend in the IMAX and other premium formats. All shows of the film in IMAX in the weekdays, even the ones at 6:00 am or 7:00 am, have healthy occupancy. Tickets of the next week are already selling fast and their prices are high. As a result, the film can go anywhere from here.
However, Spider-Man: Brand New Day will arrive in cinemas on July 30. The excitement for it is also insane and it’ll definitely dent the collections of The Odyssey. However, The Odyssey will retain the IMAX screens and that would prove beneficial for its collections in the long run.
Christopher Nolan has a 2-week rule: ‘We don’t stay away from family for more than 2 weeks if I can help it’-Matt Damon
8:21 AM
Anshul Chaturvedi (BOMBAY TIMES; July 18, 2026)
A few weeks back, Matt Damon made this rather unexpectedly philosophical comparison on the Joe Rogan show, about something that, to most of us, has usually been a less intense thought when we first plan a movie outing: “There’s nothing like watching a film in IMAX – that feeling of sitting with strangers, people from your community, all sharing the same moment. It’s almost like going to church - you arrive at a set time, it doesn’t wait for you, and your attention is total… It’s a completely different level of attention.”
And more recently, he said: “The Odyssey was an experience that I just was in it every day and loving it. And the funniest thing happened, which is just all of the things that might have been difficult for me at an earlier point in my life weren’t difficult. They became fun. Like being wet and cold was not a hardship. It was actually something I felt really lucky to be experiencing. It felt temporary and like a gift. So it was very strange. It’s not something I’ve ever experienced. That’s why I kind of sound like a born-again Christian. It’s a feeling that I’ve wanted and finally had.”
Not many actors have spoken of watching cinema, or being part of a movie, in terms that are adjacent to devotion and faith. So one was waiting to sit across Matt to ask him this: Is this just a turn of phrase, or do you actually feel this deeply about this space and your craft?
“Both”, he says. “Both. Because I do feel that deeply about it, and also... you know, it was such a huge part of my life, and the joy of going… And I talked about it in terms of church because I think, in the cinema experience, you have to go at an appointed time. It’s going to start whether you’re there or not. And so, already, that changes the relationship between something you’re doing at home that you can stop and start. And, also, when you’re viewing at home, which we all do, you’re usually in a room where other things might be happening. The lights might be on, kids might be running around, the dogs might be running around. When you go to the cinema (however), you’re stepping into this other place where you’re paying deference to this event that’s occurring. And so, it’s just a different relationship to what you’re watching. And it’s one that I treasure.”
Then he pauses to rewind. “And it was a big part of growing up. Ben Affleck and I would go to the movies – every weekend we would go. And if you got shut out of one movie, you just went to another that was playing. And sometimes stay and see two movies back-to-back. And I love that experience.”
That memory will bring reassurance to all those who have been castigated for the time we supposedly wasted watching movies. Then Matt shifts to the omnipresent post-Covid screen question: “I’m glad that it’s coming back, that it feels like we’re out of the pandemic, and that young people seem to be going again (to the movie theatres). Because I want that experience for them, because it was such an important part of my life.”
Young people? Well, there is a representative of young people right next to Matt, so we ask Tom Holland, who could still easily pass off as a 21 year old, whether he agrees with what Matt is saying, or does that sound like an older person’s perspective?
“No, I relate to what he says”, Tom instantly says, “and I’m, you know, really excited for the future of cinema. It feels like there’s been this kind of competition between streaming and the theatrical experience, and I feel like people have recognized that they’re not two of the same thing. They’re completely different experiences now. Both can exist in the same world,” he is emphatic on that point.
“And for me, to be a part of a movie like The Odyssey, with Christopher Nolan directing and kind of bringing all of those younger people into the theatre is such a pleasure and it feels like something to be so grateful for.”
Then Tom makes a point about what one has been reading a lot about – the younger age group driving the footfalls to halls globally.
“I think being a cinephile now is something to celebrate, especially in, you know, younger communities. And I think something that I’ve been learning – as I’ve been allowed behind the curtain with the producers and the directors – is that there’s such a great deal of respect for audiences. You know, I think that they really understand that people are coming into these movies with such knowledge about how they’re made, and that’s what I love about how Chris has made The Odyssey, because it’s going to challenge their knowledge. There’s going to be things that they see where they leave the theatre and go, ‘How on earth did he do that?’ I almost can’t wait for the secondary press tour where we can spill all the beans about how he made this movie as epic as it is!”
One holds back the urge to make a quip along the lines of yes, Tom, we are all very aware you can’t wait to spill all the beans . But then, serious-looking Matt’s there, and we move away before Tom spills anything.
‘Interstellar was so emotional because McConaughey’s character lost his children’s childhood’
Every one of us has seen the memes about the cost of Hollywood bringing Matt Damon home. He is forever in a distant land trying to get back home. However, it was back in 2012 or thereabout when he first spoke about how different it is personally. He has a two-week rule: ‘We don’t stay away from family for more than two weeks if I can help it’. So how does somebody with that mindset, when he plays a character like this – how does he imagine he could ever actually live this, could you be away for 20 years from family?
“No, I can’t imagine how it would impact me! It’s one of the reasons why the film Interstellar was so emotional. When I first read that script, that idea that Matthew McConaughey’s character lost the childhood of his own children because he went to that planet and lost all that time, which just was so terrifying to me. And so we did always have a two-week rule. And we always observed it until this film – this film was the first time. The first stretch I was away, I think, for three and a half weeks, before my kids came to visit. And so, yeah, it definitely, for me, it was a shocking experience in that regard, and it certainly helped me relate to the character.”
‘We were really spoiled with Chris’ script’
Nolan keeps saying that The Odyssey is made around ethical dilemmas and impossible situations, and that’s what makes this story work. We ask both the actors to give a sense of what was their ‘impossible situation? Something so far away from their own personal space or your own philosophy that when it was read out to them, they said, ‘okay, how do I create this, this moment, in this situation?’
Tom goes first. “Well, for me, it would be the idea of growing up without a dad. I was so lucky in my life that my dad was so present. I had both my parents work from home. My dad was a comedian, so his job would exist once we had gone to bed. So, in our minds, dad was home all the time. And I couldn’t imagine growing up in any other way. So, for me, playing Telemachus felt like a huge departure from the personal life that I’ve been lucky enough to live.”
But he goes on to add a caveat, as to why it was not as difficult as it might have been: “We were very lucky, though, with Chris’s script. You know, any of those questions or those unknown or uncharted territory, everything was on the page. You know, we were really spoiled with this script that was full of every detail you could possibly want. And then Chris is so up for discussion. He really, really loved to chat through the characters and all that sort of stuff. So we were really, really spoiled as actors.”
(Bollywood directors, leaving that here for you: be up for discussion, ok, even Nolan is!)
“I would say the same thing about the script”, says Matt, and elaborates. “Something like the song of the siren is something, you know, I’d wondered ever since I read it in the Odyssey, in the poem, what is that song? What does it sound like? What is it actually doing? But Chris’s specificity of what he wanted me to do was so clear. And because he builds the real world around you, what I knew for certain when I read the script was, well, I will be strapped to the mast of an actual ship in the Mediterranean, passing some rocks, with women on the rocks that are calling to me. So he’ll give me every advantage possible so that I can play that kind of existential crisis.”
‘In the case of Odysseus, the siren song is his existential crisis’
Given the amount of testosterone-fuelled, macho, angry cinema that has had the box office registers ringing away in recent years, there’s something one had to just ask them. Basically, this: Both of you play warriors of an earlier age, and the sword is your life, so to say, and yet you aren’t afraid to bring tears to your eyes, or be sad and melancholy on the screen. ‘Boys don’t cry’ seems to have returned to cinema of late. When you are a powerful man and a wielder of weapons, and you have this comfort with weakness and emotion, is this a message to the younger audience, men in particular, that being strong doesn’t mean being unsentimental or being afraid of tears?
“I don’t know if that it’s a message, per se”, Matt says, then elaborates. “I think it’s a part of being a human being. I mean, you go through trials and struggles, you know, oftentimes it can be difficult to remain stoic. It’s interesting to see where that happens, right? So, in the case of Odysseus, it’s obviously the siren song is his existential crisis, but it’s the journey home to see his wife and – I don’t want to give too much away – about his own fear in facing her, because he will have to tell her everything. And it’s a reckoning, almost, that’s so powerful, that he’s avoiding it. And so I just think it’s part of being a human being, experiencing all of these things.”
He then pauses to remind us about a philosophical undercurrent in the story: “I don’t think it’s a message about strength – I mean, he’s plenty strong in plenty places in the movie. He’s plenty brave. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t make decisions that he wishes he could take again. And it doesn’t mean that he’s not living with the consequences of those decisions.”
There’s a quaint, almost-poetic touch to the choice of words, that one hasn’t heard in ages.
To conclude, one turns to Tom for what is a fairly obvious query by now.
Tom, was Matt a father figure to you on the set? “He was a father figure to everyone on the set, you know!” Tom laughs. “He’s kind of our fearless leader, and I think Matt really set the tone for the acting department for how we should be tackling every day, and that was with grace and a smile on our face. Regardless of whether Matt was dealing with sideways winds and rain or climbing up a mountain or, you know, being nearly drowned. He always made everyone feel like we belonged and like we were there as a team and that this is going to be really tough, but we were going to have a lot of fun doing it. And I think everyone really respected him for that. And I think that this movie would have been impossible without Matt’s leadership in that.”
Would have been impossible without his leadership? Hmm, that sounded like a member of the crew on Odysseus’ ship, right?
The Odyssey team stayed for 7 or 8 minutes; as they left, Tom Holland gave me a thumbs up, says Olympia owner
3:50 PM
Before they walked down the red carpet, Christopher Nolan, Matt Damon and Tom Holland found their way to a 108-year-old Irani café that still serves taxi drivers and Oscar winners the same cup. Here’s what else they got up to
Nisrin Saria (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 14, 2026)
There are two Mumbais every visiting celebrity encounters. One is all premieres, luxury hotels and flashing cameras. The other is discovered through recommendations. Over the past days, The Odyssey director Christopher Nolan and actors Matt Damon and Tom Holland found themselves on the latter trail.
At the Film Heritage Foundation in Ballard Estate on Friday, founder Shivendra Singh Dungarpur took Nolan through the Foundation’s restoration facilities, where the director watched technicians at work on a 70mm print. For a filmmaker who has spent years championing celluloid, it was a rare opportunity to see India’s preservation efforts up close. Nolan, fans would know, has also served on Martin Scorsese’s Film Foundation for over a decade. That Dungarpur’s Foundation has grown into one of the world’s leading centres for restoring and preserving films probably made it a fitting stop before The Odyssey reached Mumbai.
Photographer and filmmaker Sunhil Sippy, rarely someone to be overawed by famous names, found himself unexpectedly tongue-tied. He presented Nolan with a signed copy of Opium Of Time, his 2021 coffee-table book of monochrome photographs of Mumbai. “I was nervous when he asked me to sign it,” Sippy says. “I simply wrote, ‘What an honour.’”
That evening, Dungarpur took Nolan and actor Matt Damon to Trishna in Kala Ghoda, that has fed Bombay’s old guard for decades. Nolan was, reportedly, already familiar with that menu, having eaten there with his family on an earlier trip.
A taste of Mumbai
If Friday belonged to cinema, Saturday belonged to Mumbai. Hours before the premiere, Nolan, Damon and Holland walked into Olympia Coffee House in Colaba. Founded in 1918, the Irani café has changed little over the decades. Its marble tables have welcomed everyone from taxi drivers and office-goers to politicians and film stars, while regulars still arrive early for bun maska, chai and its famously limited roast mutton. When Mirror met owner Mufti Ilyas Abul Rahim Saji, 56, last evening, he laughed at how ordinary the afternoon had seemed.
“Around 2.30 pm, members of their team started coming in,” he says. “We thought they were regular customers. They had tea and snacks, left, then returned again.”
Only around 6 pm did anything seem unusual – because security personnel gathered outside before a van pulled up. “We didn’t recognize them,” Saji says with characteristic matter-of-factness. “They came in, sat down, had tea and spoke among themselves. Then it was time for my prayers, so I left.”
The advance team had told Olympia only that a few VIP guests would be dropping in and requested chai and bun maska. True to the café’s old-school hospitality, Saji decided that wasn’t quite enough. He asked the kitchen to send out saffron phirni and custard as well.
The Saji family bought a 50% stake in Olympia from its Iranian owner, Mohammad Mirab, in 1954, when Mirab and his cousins were returning to Iran. Three generations later, copper vessels are still used here, because, Saji insists, “the taste changes if the pot changes.”
What has never changed, he says, is the place’s philosophy. “Our customers range from taxi drivers to celebrities, but everyone is our customer and we treat them alike. Everyone gets the same service,” says Saji, explaining that they go by the principle of equality taught in Islam.
Manager Inayat Maridiya, 40, knew only that “VIP guests” were arriving. “They stayed for seven or eight minutes,” he says. “As they left, Tom Holland gave me a thumbs up. Only later did someone tell me he was Spider-Man.”
Saji laughs. “I’ve never watched the Spider-Man films.”
When word spread
By the next morning, celebrity had worked its familiar magic. Customers arrived asking for the table where Nolan, Damon and Holland had sat, and even the cups they had used. They were out of luck. “They’d already gone back into the kitchen and were mixed with the rest of the dishes, obviously,” says 30-year-old waiter Shahbuddin Khan. There were even those who hugged Shahbuddin, as though a little of Hollywood glamour might have rubbed off on him.
In less than 48 hours, three of Hollywood’s biggest names had visited three very different Mumbai institutions: one preserving the history of cinema, the other preserving the city’s everyday rituals.
(Crisp) Movie Review: THE ODYSSEY by FENIL SETA
9:45 PM
The Odyssey has an unconventional start. For someone who last read about Greek mythology more than two decades ago, coincidentally after watching a film (Troy), it takes around 20 minutes to understand the setting, the characters and their relationships with one another. The story goes back-and-forth and yet, it is seamless. A few scenes of the voyage and what happens on the way are very memorable (and scary), while the emotional scenes touches heart. But it's the climax which takes the film to dizzying heights; see it to believe it! On the flipside, the interest levels dip at some places and a major plot point in the beginning is convenient. Matt Damon delivers one of the finest performances of his career. Whether its emotional scenes or indulging in action, he performs like a pro. A performance that deserves an Oscar! Tom Holland also makes his presence felt and delivers a sincere performance. Anne Hathaway delivers yet another remarkable performance. How she manages to slip into diverse characters effortlessly is a feat. Robert Pattinson gets under the skin of his character and is aptly cast. John Leguizamo (Eumaeus; blind man), Samantha Morton (Circe) and Charlize Theron (Calypso) leave a huge mark in small roles. Lupita Nyong'o is okay. Zendaya (Athena) is memorable in a cameo. The music score is also Oscar-worthy. The Sirens theme is haunting and one of the best pieces in a long time. All in all, The Odyssey is layered yet mass-appealing and a rare Christopher Nolan film that doesn't go bouncer. Don't miss!
My rating - **** ½ out of 5!
My rating - **** ½ out of 5!
A film isn’t finished till the audience tells me what they think-Christopher Nolan
3:37 PM
In an exclusive interview, Christopher Nolan talks about leaving his films open to interpretation
Natasha Coutinho (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 15, 2026)
Oscar-winning filmmaker Christopher Nolan arrived in Mumbai over the weekend for the first-ever India premiere of one of his films, The Odyssey. The director behind The Dark Knight trilogy (2005–2012), Inception (2010), Interstellar (2014), Dunkirk (2017) and Oppenheimer (2023) remains one of the few filmmakers whose name alone can turn a movie into a global cinematic event. Known for pairing ambitious storytelling with immersive big-screen spectacle, Nolan spoke exclusively to HT City during his visit about The Odyssey, audience interpretations and the enduring appeal of cinema. Excerpts:
Your films continue to spark debate and multiple interpretations years after their release. Has any interpretation ever surprised you?
(Laughs) The fun thing is that if you leave room for interpretation, you engage the audience more. It is also important that I don’t judge those interpretations. I accept the idea that I’m putting things out there for people to make their own. With The Odyssey, it is no different. I make films for the cinema audience. Thousands of people have worked on the film, but it isn’t finished until it goes out to the audience and they tell me what they think.
What was it like to see Interstellar find a new audience in India after its re-release?
It’s interesting to see how things emerge in culture, when a film first releases and then over time. With Interstellar, which was re-released in India not so long ago, it has been very interesting to see its relationship with the audience evolve. That’s pretty satisfying as a filmmaker.
At a time when short-form content dominates, how important are films that celebrate cinema in its truest form?
What I like about telling an adventure story and putting it on the biggest screens possible is that this generation of young filmgoers may not have seen a film made on this scale before.
I see young audiences engage with cinema in incredible ways. I look at the work of Curry Barker with Obsession and Kane Parsons with The Backrooms. With The Odyssey, I’m hoping to open cinema screens to a large-scale story and a style of filmmaking they may not be familiar with. We’ll see how that goes.
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Filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s bond with India goes back several years. He shot portions of The Dark Knight Rises (2012) in Jodhpur and Tenet (2020) in Mumbai. This visit marked a first of another kind: Nolan had never before travelled to the country to launch and promote one of his films.
You’ve said Indian audiences celebrate cinema. Any interesting visuals you observed this visit?
It was fun to be at the fan screening of The Odyssey in Mumbai, which is one of the first audiences in the world to see the film. Emma (Thomas, producer), Matt (Damon, actor), Tom (Holland, actor) and I came and said hi to the fans at the end. We took a selfie with the audience, and it was remarkable to see hundreds of them with their IMAX camera popcorn buckets.
You, too, are celebrated as one of the most loved international filmmakers in the country...
To have fans in India respond to my work is a great thrill and a huge honour.
This is not your first visit to India. How has your perception of the country evolved over the years?
I love coming here. I’ve had the privilege of working here a couple of times and engaging with local crews. Working in Mumbai, particularly on Tenet, was a wonderful experience.
While driving from the airport, I saw some of the locations and it brought back happy memories. It
was really nice to be back, but it was especially meaningful to return to launch and promote a new film. I’ve never had the chance to do that here, though I’ve wanted to for many years. It’s exciting to be premiering a film here in India.
There are commonalities in The Odyssey and the Mahabharata-Christopher Nolan
3:34 PM
Anshul Chaturvedi (BOMBAY TIMES; July 15, 2026)
Christopher Nolan is an avid consumer of fine Earl Grey tea. Christopher Nolan was relishing a very clearly non-Earl Grey chai with bun maska in Mumbai. Christopher Nolan’s films are so cerebral that they are interpreted and decoded and deciphered and analysed. Christopher Nolan’s film collections are as often bigger than those of the massiest, most dumbed-down cinema ever made.
There are many truths to Nolan’s persona and cinema that coexist simultaneously, and he is as layered a mind as the stories he tells.
And perhaps, The Odyssey is as layered a tale as he has ever told.
There is something about grand tales that delve into ethics, morality, philosophy and truths that transcend the barriers of both time and culture. It is on that account, perhaps, that our conversation in Mumbai with Nolan did not feel very ‘foreign’. The emphasis he places on the Greek concept of Xenia, of the thought that one should be respectful even to a humble beggar who comes at your door since he may be a god walking the earth in disguise, reminds one of Tulsidas’ ‘Na jaane kis vesh mein Narayan mil jaye’. The focus in his story on how a guest should be treated reminds us that ‘atithi devo bhava’ existed as a sacred thought across the world long before it became a tourism punchline. The stories of characters living on earth whose parents are gods, or at least non-human, reminds us of so many characters in the Mahabharata. The remorse that Nolan’s primary protagonist suffers even after engineering a famous victory reminds us of the name behind the Indian national emblem – how Asoka the Great’s remorse post-Kalinga shaped what he, and the land he ruled, have stood for a very, very long time.
“After years of war, no one could stand between my men and home” – when I hear Odysseus saying this, it made me think of another great Greek story, but one that is tied to India. Alexander The Great regarded Achilles as a role model. He carried a copy of the Iliad with him wherever he travelled. And some 850 years after Troy, Alexander’s troops, on the borders of India, rebelled and refused to go any further, and said, you know, like, nobody can come between us and home now. So, this universalness of the longing of a soldier to return home which cuts across cultures and across time, the diminishing thrill of conquest, these emotional contradictions of them both as brutal hardened warriors, and as sentimental individuals just wanting to finally get back home – as a filmmaker, how do you look at the psychology of such men, given that they are so conflicted in the two extremes?
I think it’s one of the eternal human contradictions. Love and war, essentially, that fuel drama and has fueled literature for thousands and thousands of years. I mean, the Odyssey is 3,000 years old, and I think it taps into very human truths.
I think that in my adaptation, I feel that – without going into spoilers, people haven’t seen it – but I think the character of Circe is given some things to say about that, and about that contradiction, that I think is very relevant to the overall story, because there is that contradiction of the qualities that make a good soldier.
Loyalty is one of them, loyalty and obedience and bravery and so forth, all these sorts of positive qualities – but aimed at this incredibly negative end, which is to inflict harm on somebody, to bring death and destruction, and so forth.
And that contradiction, I think, is one of the most interesting and evocative things that storytelling can deal with.
When I came to adapt the Odyssey, I found that that contradiction underlies everything really in the poem. And so, in different ways, I’ve tried to bring that out in the film, including the feel of the experience of the audience as well, in terms of what the audience’s relationship is with the adventure of the piece, but then also the gravity of the seriousness of war, of death, of destruction, all these things that are happening...
But I think it’s an eternal conflict that fuels drama in a very compelling way.
Is post-violence remorse the sign of an evolved soul, in your view, as opposed to people who relish it and enjoy it?
I mean, I think – even more complicated than that – I think within the same individual, there can be the element of remorse, there can (also) be element of inappropriate enjoyment of violence. Different attitudes towards violence at different times can exist within the same individual. And I think that’s one of the things that we’re dealing with, with the character of Odysseus, for example.
One of the reasons I wanted Matt Damon to play the part is, Matt, I mean, he’s a brilliant actor, that sort of goes without saying, but for me, even more than that, I wanted to retain the complexities and contradictions of the character of Odysseus, which are not the traditional characteristics of the hero of an epic.
And Matt is able to open that to the audience and bring the audience in, so you can retain those contradictions and complexities, but he can make you feel that you’re seeing the world through his eyes and you’re experiencing that with him.
And I think part of that is the idea of feeling grounded ethically in a character’s worldview, and then having that challenge, and especially retroactive, looking back at things you’ve already seen in the story, and maybe look at them in a slightly different way at the end of the film than we did at the beginning of the film. And that’s the kind of storytelling I very much enjoy.
You spoke about two things which intrigued me greatly. You talked about the epic being from a time when people saw divinity in everything — the thunder, the water, everything was from the gods. And you said that so many epics and modern stories come from the desire for us to believe that gods could walk amongst us. And in the story, you depict entities who are mortals on earth, but who are children of gods. These concepts are very familiar in Indian mythology and culture; the Mahabharata has so many stories of that nature. So my question is, in your filmmaking, the challenge or the goal often is to make the characters as ‘human’ and relatable as possible. But when you’re dealing with a god, there is no template. How do you approach the character of a god or a half god? How do you bring tears to his or her eyes?
Well, for me, you know, the film has something of a contradiction in this sense, because I have embraced the fantastical elements of the story, the creatures, for example, the cyclopses in the film, those things… But when it came to the gods and the portrayal of the gods, what I became interested in was something that you find in the poem.
It’s a Greek concept known as Xenia. In the film, we refer to it as Zeus’s law, very specifically, and it’s essentially the golden rule. It’s the idea that we have to treat each other with mutual respect.
And the theological underpinning in that Bronze Age is you may look like a humble beggar, but you might be a god in disguise. And so, I have to treat you the way I would want to be treated. In the modern world, we don’t necessarily have that theological underpinning, but of course, what I came to realize is it’s so essential for the story that modern civilization is founded on exactly the same principle, mutual respect.
But the fact that it’s a strong theological underpinning in the Bronze Age led me to want to portray the gods in the way that those people might have experienced them, through nature, through the evidence of the gods, that the sun rises in the morning, that the wind blows, that the tides come in. That’s all evidence of divinity. That’s evidence of gods.
And people walking amongst them may also be gods in disguise. They may be seeing gods in men. And I wanted to keep to that view of the gods, essentially, rather than portraying them as separate, in their own world, up on Mount Olympus or whatever, talking and so forth, as sometimes has been the case in older films.
I really wanted to stay within that mindset of the characters. I wanted to give it, because I think that idea of Xenia, that idea of Zeus’s law, by the end of the film, you realize how important that is. And I felt like portraying the gods in that way would make that more obvious.
Any Indian epic that would appeal to you tomorrow as a filmmaker, as a story?
I mean, I’m always interested in any great story. And I know that Indian culture is full of incredible great stories. But as far as the specifics of what attracts me to a project, I don’t know. I mean, there are commonalities in the Odyssey with, as you say, and the Mahabharata. But I have certainly enjoyed dealing in a mythological landscape, yes.
What is the finest work that you have seen of Indian cinema, in any space, directing, acting, music? Has anything held you?
I mean, I came very late to Satyajit Ray, Pather Panchali. It’s a masterpiece. It’s as good a film as I’ve ever seen. And I was, I did not realize, I think, how… obviously I’d heard of Ray, but some years ago, right before I came to India the first time, I watched that film for the first time, and it’s as fine a film as I’ve ever seen. He was an absolutely extraordinary filmmaker.
The moral centre that you wrote for Matt Damon’s character, like you explained, you know, that whole transition of hard and soft, conflicted, contradiction-filled – how different is that moral centre different from your own personal moral centre?
(Pauses) I think that’s a very tough question for this kind of interview! (laughs)
I mean, we’re all complicated… we’re all complicated the way that Odysseus is complicated… (but) I do not think the word that is most often applied to Odysseus, I don’t think people would necessarily apply that to me. And that word is wily. And, you know, it’s that idea of the trickster or somebody who’s always got – he’s hiding his motive, and has a sort of ulterior motive.
I don’t think, I don’t think I share that.
But even there, by the end of the story, you didn’t make him feel very proud of that. You made him go back and wonder whether it was the right thing to do.
Well, possibly because that’s how I would feel. This is… (laughs) Now I feel like I’m on the psychoanalyst couch!
But he’s not an apologetically wily character, is he? In your telling of it. He’s like somebody who’s been there and then is not so proud of it.
Yeah, I think so. But I also think that, you see, he’s aware of it, in a way, the whole film. But you still see him enjoying his intelligence and enjoying his way of working around things.
And so it’s that thing of somebody who knows what they should be doing and still perhaps isn’t doing it.
And, you know, we all share that.
(And as we wrap it up there, Nolan has a concluding take with a laugh: ‘That’s some tough questions!’ )
Hollywood returns to India box office spotlight with Spider-Man: Brand New Day, The Odyssey and others
3:05 PM
Packed slate of major releases could help exhibitors rake in robust collections in the coming weeks
Rajesh N Naidu (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; July 15, 2026)
Mumbai: Hollywood’s tentpole films have steadily gained ground at the Indian box office over the past 18 months, a trend industry insiders expect to accelerate this month as a cluster of major releases arrives within a fortnight, boosting overall collections.
From superhero spectacle Spider-Man: Brand New Day and auteur-driven The Odyssey to kids and family entertainment Moana and horror genre Evil Dead Burn, Hollywood films offer exhibitors strong potential for robust collections in the coming weeks, exhibitors, film trade analysts and producers told ET.
“Hollywood has enjoyed a strong run in 2026, with films such as Obsession, Project Hail Mary and Michael, among others, reaffirming the strength of the English-language box office in India. The upcoming line-up is also remarkably diverse,” said Gautam Dutta, chief executive, revenue and operations at PVR Inox.
Diverse themes and audience segments are likely to play a pivotal role in the success of these event films, trade insiders said.
They foresee a highly favourable response, especially to Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, given their loyal fan bases.
“There is a large fan base for director Christopher Nolan, actor Tom Holland and Marvel films in India,” said producer Rajesh R Nair. “The success of Hollywood films over the past year has become even more visible because of the weak content coming from Hindi cinema. In July, these four films are likely to perform well as there is almost no competition, even from regional cinema,” he added.
According to trade sources, Spider-Man: Brand New Day has already generated pre-sales of Rs 5 crore in India, while The Odyssey has recorded pre-sales of around Rs 2 crore.
Distributors said the two films will be showcased extensively in premium-format screens, which is expected to further boost box-office collections in July.
“These Hollywood films will be released across premium large-format screens such as IMAX, ScreenX, 4DX and P[XL]. Ticket prices in these formats range from Rs 700 to Rs 3,300,” said Shaaminder Malik, distributor and film business expert.
“One must also bear in mind that they will be released in multiple Indian languages. Therefore, these global tentpole releases are likely to drive repeat visits to theatres, thereby boosting occupancy and collections.”
Film trade analysts estimate that, cumulatively, these four films could contribute close to Rs 400 crore to the Indian box office. They pointed out that a collection of Rs 20-30 crore is generally enough for a Hollywood film to be considered a hit in India.
“I expect The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day to outperform the other Hollywood releases in the coming weeks. Both films can easily collect at least Rs 300 crore, given the high level of audience interest,” said Girish Johar, producer and film business expert.
The Odyssey release: When will India get a 70mm IMAX screen for regular releases?
4:33 PM
India has embraced premium cinema, immersive sound and giant screens. The one thing it still can’t offer Christopher Nolan, who’s booked his tickets to visit the country next month, is the screen he keeps asking for
Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; June 19, 2026)
This week, when it was announced that Christopher Nolan had included India among the four stops on the world premiere tour of The Odyssey, old videos from his 2018 visit began doing the rounds again. Back then, there was considerable chatter around India getting 70mm IMAX screens before Nolan’s next trip. Fast-forward eight years, the filmmaker is indeed returning, but the screens appear to have missed the memo. Fans were quick to point out that not a single 70mm IMAX screen has materialized.
A few years ago, exhibitors had to release explainer videos detailing why IMAX and premium format screens offered a superior viewing experience. They even suggested where moviegoers could watch films in the format intended by the filmmaker. Today, the situation is different. Audiences are driving demand for specialized formats, often choosing them over conventional screenings.
‘There is a growing preference for premium formats’
Exhibitors say formats such as IMAX and PXL bring viewers closer to the filmmaker’s vision, offering a more immersive, detailed and impactful experience. Films designed for these formats provide a better experience.
The premium-format availability is now a key talking point around major releases. This week, comments attributed to Sony Pictures began circulating online, suggesting that Spider-Man: Brand New Day would not be released in IMAX in India, although it would be available in other premium formats. Exhibitors say such discussions indicate just how aware audiences have become of the different viewing options available to them.
Apart from IMAX, India also has PXL screens, which offer precision-engineered sound and exceptional image clarity Sanjeev Kumar Bijli, Executive Director, PVR INOX Limited, tells us, “In today’s cinematic landscape, the growing preference for premium formats like IMAX and PXL reflects a clear shift toward immersive, high-quality storytelling. What sets these formats apart is their ability to deliver a truly differentiated experience through expansive screen sizes, exceptional image clarity, deeper contrast, and precision-engineered sound that goes far beyond conventional formats.”
‘Specialized formats contribute a major portion of a film’s earnings’
Hollywood executives say the preference for specialized formats has grown so much that a substantial share of a film’s box-office earnings now comes from these screens. One reason is that tickets for these formats are priced at a premium compared to regular screenings.
A Hollywood executive tells us, “One of the reasons why Obsession’s box-office performance surprised the industry was because the film was not released in any premium format, unlike earlier horror releases. At present, specialized formats contribute a major portion of a film’s earnings.”
Cinema business analyst Girish Johar adds, “In India, the demand for premium screen formats has grown a lot over the last couple of years and has become an integral part of the theatrical viewing experience. While a number of premium screens have been added, we still have a long way to go.”
What’s IMAX format?
IMAX, short for Image Maximum, is the go-to format for the majority of moviegoers, especially when it comes to superhero films. It is a motion picture projection system that delivers stunning images and 12-channel sound. The 12-channel sound means you can hear sound coming from overhead. In short, IMAX provides sound that you can feel. 70mm IMAX is considered the highest-quality IMAX format.
Source: IMAX
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