Christopher Nolan, Tom Holland and Matt Damon brought a little Hollywood magic to Mumbai for the premiere of The Odyssey, and Indian fans were ready for them.
The trio traveled to Mumbai to promote the highly anticipated film, attending a premiere where they signed posters, interacted with fans and presented the movie to an enthusiastic Indian audience.
But amid all the excitement, there was one surprising absence: Bollywood’s biggest stars.
While actors including Dimple Kapadia and Boman Irani attended the event, the premiere appeared to be missing many of the A-list Bollywood celebrities one might expect to see welcoming names as big as Nolan, Holland and Damon to Mumbai.
Kapadia’s appearance was particularly fitting, considering she previously worked with Nolan in his 2020 film Tenet.
Even without a major Bollywood turnout, the Hollywood stars made it clear that Indian movie fans were a big part of why this premiere was special.
Nolan praised Indian audiences as being among the world’s most enthusiastic, knowledgeable and passionate moviegoers, while Holland thanked fans for the energy they bring to the theater.
“No one brings an energy to a movie theater like you do here in India,” Holland told the crowd.
Damon also revealed an interesting connection to Indian cinema. The actor shared that he was once offered the opportunity to work with Indian filmmaker Shekhar Kapur on The Four Feathers. Damon said he was unable to do the project because he was working on the Bourne movies at the time, but expressed interest in finally collaborating with Kapur.
Outside the premiere, the stars also got a taste of Mumbai.
Nolan, Holland and Damon were spotted having chai at Olympia Coffee House in Colaba, with the restaurant’s manager reportedly not initially recognizing the famous visitors.
Mumbai also gave Holland an especially enthusiastic welcome, with Spider-Man posters popping up around the city. A video circulating online even appeared to show someone dressed as Spider-Man waving from the Taj Mahal Palace, where Holland was staying. However, with the person’s face covered, there was no confirmation that it was actually the actor behind the mask.
The Mumbai premiere was undoubtedly a major moment for Hollywood fans in India, and seeing Nolan, Holland and Damon embrace the city made it even more memorable.
Still, one question remains: Where was Bollywood?
With some of Hollywood’s biggest names flying to Mumbai for The Odyssey, the lack of major Bollywood stars at the premiere was certainly noticeable.
The Odyssey arrives in theaters July 17.
