Jun 28, 2026 11:00am IST
‘Enola Holmes 3’ Actor Himesh Patel On Missing Mumbai Premiere Of ‘The Odyssey’: ‘Can’t Wait To See How It Goes’ (EXCLUSIVE)
With “Enola Holmes 3” serving up the signature high-energy chaos, family drama, and grand scale of a blockbuster masala entertainer, the universe continues to grow in thrilling ways. At the heart of this evolving story is actor Himesh Patel, who steps into the shoes of the iconic literary character Dr John Watson. For Patel, this wasn't just about playing Watson, it was a deeply personal opportunity to bring his own background to the forefront.
"It means a lot," Patel shares in an exclusive chat with Variety India, reflecting on what it means to represent his Indian heritage in the franchise. "When I first took on the role [four years ago] at the end of ‘Enola Holmes 2,’ we discussed a lot of the details regarding my character's background and identity. But his story and cultural roots really blossom in this movie, which was very heartening for me to see."
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Patel deeply admires how the franchise balances family entertainment with real social reflection. "To take on the ideas of colonialism, it's pretty admirable to even attempt it in a movie like this. And I think they do a great job. And I was really glad to have that specificity at the heart of this version of Watson," he notes
It is an incredibly massive month for the actor. Not only is he navigating the release of “Enola Holmes 3,” but he is also gearing up for Christopher Nolan’s highly-anticipated cinematic juggernaut, “The Odyssey”. Patel plays Eurylochus, Odysseus’s second-in-command in Homer’s epic.
Nolan is headed to Mumbai for a massive, star-studded screening. Will Patel be in attendance with the rest of the visiting cast? He responds, "Sadly, I'm not coming, but I can't wait to see how it all goes down over there. There's a lot going on, obviously, with ‘Enola Holmes 3’ and then I go straight into everything for ‘The Odyssey.’ So, I think it was also a sense of managing my own energy levels. But I can't wait to be out there talking about it."
Reflecting on what it was like to share creative spaces with a visionary director like Nolan while balancing his time as the sharp-witted doctor, Patel noted just how fast-paced his schedule truly became. "It was amazing. And it was a funny old time, really, because I was shooting that (‘The Odyssey’) and then, I had a little break. And in that break, I shot this movie (‘Enola Holmes 3’). So all of these experiences are entirely intertwined in my life," she shares. For an actor, juggling two projects of such monumental scale is a rare and exhilarating feat. "Very rarely do actors get to have two projects of this sort of scale back- to-back," Patel admits, adding,. "So yeah, I feel very, very lucky."
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