Jul 05, 2026 4:00pm IST
Is India ready to showcase ‘The Odyssey’ the way Christopher Nolan intended?
When Christopher Nolan arrived in Mumbai to showcase his film, “Dunkirk” (2017), the IMAX Wadala, originally built as an IMAX 70mm screen and later decommissioned, was temporarily fitted with a refurbished 15/70mm celluloid projection system to allow audiences to experience the film as the auteur intended. Now, in 2026, eight years after Nolan and visual artist Tacita Dean emphasised the importance of celluloid co-existing with digital, the filmmaker returns to the city to premiere “The Odyssey.” Except, there are no true IMAX 70mm screens to showcase his work this time around either.
Nolan is one of the few auteurs who are as popular as they are critically acclaimed. His fandom in India is unlike any other filmmaker’s. “Over 50,000 users opted to be notified the moment ‘The Odyssey’ opened for booking,” a spokesperson for ticketing platform District reveals.
Says trade analyst Taran Adarsh. “Christopher Nolan knows he gets an incredible amount of love and respect from India and the business pouring in from this market reflects that. He has a massive, fiercely loyal fanbase here. When you are so deeply valued as a creator, it is only natural to want to visit that country and connect with your audience.”
Is India prepared for ‘The Odyssey’?
India loves Nolan for the visual spectacle and scale he offers. And the filmmaker achieves that by being one of the few who still shoot analog. Alongside his longtime director of photography, Hoyte van Hoytema, Nolan shot “The Odyssey” in the IMAX 70mm film format, which preserves the organic grainy celluloid effect, offering realism through rich colors and deep contrast.
A film shot this way—and “The Odyssey” is the first film to be filmed entirely with IMAX cameras—when viewed on an IMAX 70mm screen, offers an unparalleled theatrical experience. For one, the aspect ratio of this picture is 1.43:1, mounted on a 60-80 feet tall, slightly curved screen, almost like a giant square that offers 40% more than standard screens. The effect is all-encompassing, almost dwarfing you in comparison.
However, it’s an experience Indian moviegoers might not be able to have, at least not the way Nolan intended, considering India doesn’t have an IMAX 70mm screen available for commercial use.
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There was a time when several cities in India, including Mumbai, had 70mm screens. However, currently, they’ve all transitioned to the digital IMAX or IMAX with Laser formats that offer a cropped vertical aspect ratio. The Gujarat Science City IMAX in Ahmedabad remains the only screen offering the 1.43:1 aspect ratio in 70mm; however, it is not available for commercial use.
Vishek Chauhan, CEO of Roopbani Cinema, shoots straight: “Are we prepared? Of course not. We don't have that kind of infrastructure. But we have 35-40 IMAX screens. And wherever people can watch, they will go and watch. So, obviously, when you shoot it in 70mm IMAX, you won't get that. So, whatever you get, you will have to make do.”
That’s not to say we do not have formats that would do justice to Nolan’s vision and scale. As Chauhan puts it, “Do we have the next best thing? Yes, we do. Are we going to watch it? Hell, yes.”
The IMAX screen at the PVR ICON in Phoenix Palladium, where “The Odyssey” screening with Christopher Nolan and the cast will take place, offers the digital IMAX standard aspect ratio of 1.90:1. So while the picture will fill the screen, the vertical image area might only be slightly cropped compared to a true 70mm screen. We reached out to IMAX to inquire about the technicalities of this screening, but haven’t received a response.
Does format matter to the average Indian Nolan fan?
Then again, is India loyal to formats? Theater footfalls have fallen, but when a filmmaker like Nolan is guaranteed to pull in crowds, there are two sides to this coin. Many, like trade analyst Taran Adarsh, feel Nolan trumps everything else. “While people talk about the technicalities of how it will be screened—and they are premiering it at an IMAX—the larger picture is that a visionary director coming down to promote his film is a huge moment for Indian cinema-goers."
Chauhan concurs. “The point is very clear. It's Nolan. In my cinema in Bihar's Purnia, ‘Oppenheimer’ opened to packed houses. So, you know what we are talking about. Everyone is a Nolan loyalist who knows that he has only one chance. People will fucking watch it anywhere.”
Evidently, Indian consumers have exhibited an appetite for unique experiences—from lounge tickets for a Coldplay concert to an omakase dining experience booked months in advance. In fact, many are willing to travel abroad for them. If a Christopher Nolan film arrives in a premium theatrical format and offers a world-class immersive experience, would the audience spend their hard-earned money on it?
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The District spokesperson offers an interesting insight. “People aren't just buying tickets anymore. They're planning, choosing IMAX over the standard screen down the road, and paying more to watch a film the way its maker intended. The numbers back this up. Advance bookings for 'The Odyssey' on IMAX screens are running ahead of recent Hollywood releases like ‘Project Hail Mary’ and ‘F1,’ with four out of every six seats already filled before the film has even opened.” The app has even made a change to its interface to allow audiences to filter for premium formats. “People want convenience and curation in the same place, not a trade-off between the two.”
Mr. Sameer Seth, Director of Marketing (India & APAC Insights) at Dolby Laboratories, echoes this sentiment. "Today’s moviegoers are seeking premium cinematic experiences that bring them closer to the filmmaker’s vision, where storytelling feels more immersive, precise, and emotionally engaging on the big screen.” “The Odyssey” is being mastered in the Dolby Cinema theatre format, which includes subtle details and ultravivid colors of Dolby Vision and the immersive sound of Dolby Atmos, and will be showcased in four cities with their screens—Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Trichy.
Will India get true IMAX 70mm screens?
Even if the IMAX 70mm experience might be elusive for India right now, other premium formats might just make up for it. And yet, Christopher Nolan’s visit could begin an interesting chapter in the discourse of India’s cinema infrastructure beyond “The Odyssey.” Will it open up the possibility for India, a country with cinema so intertwined with its DNA, to get true IMAX 70mm screens yet again? After all, Indian filmmakers like S.S. Rajamouli and Nitesh Tiwari have projects lined up that deserve this scale in their own country, which they might get abroad. And Indian audiences, which are already paying a queen’s ransom for current theatrical experiences, also deserve full bang for their buck; maybe more.
According to District, “The appetite isn’t unique to Christopher Nolan titles. It’s a shift in what going to the movies means to people now. Premium cinemas account for less than a fifth of all screens in cities with IMAX, yet they're selling close to half of all tickets for the year's biggest releases. What that tells us is simple: When Indian audiences get a real choice between convenience and experience, a growing number are choosing experience, even when it costs more.”
It’s simple, really. If you build it, they will come. Chauhan feels bullish about India’s appetite for such cinematic experiences as well as the aftermath of “The Odyssey” buzz. “I think if you give people that product, they will patronize it. It's only a matter of time before we start having such screens. People want bigger experiences, and they are ready to pay for them. I think, post ‘The Odyssey’, people will demand it. There is a market for it.”
Taran Adarsh agrees that we need to build more screens that support an IMAX 70mm format, but suggests we also keep the average Indian consumer’s needs in mind. “Whether it’s Christopher Nolan, Steven Spielberg or our very own S.S. Rajamouli making these grand visual spectacles tomorrow, we must create the appropriate canvas for their vision. However, building more screens is only one half of the equation. Along with expansion, we must focus on making the cinema-going experience more affordable for the general public. There is a massive, hungry audience out there waiting to experience this level of filmmaking. By expanding our premium screen count and keeping ticket pricing accessible, we can truly unleash the full potential of the box office."
Clearly, India has its own cinema Odyssey to undertake, a return to the grand 70mm format that was once a norm, but is now an experience it must bring home.
With inputs from Shubham Kulkarni.
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