Why Mumbai’s Greek mythology fans and Nolan enthusiasts can’t wait for The Odyssey

Ever since the buzz around the Mumbai premiere of The Odyssey began Mumbaikar Karen Fernandes hasnrsquot been able to contain her excitement about the filmrsquos release on Friday July 17She shares ldquoIrsquom extremely excited about the film Itrsquos less about the booktofilm adaptation and more just about seeing Nolanmdashwho I think is one of the few directors who can pull something like this offmdashwork his magic Greek mythology in mainstream cinema does not come by as often as we would like especially from an acclaimed director and such a powerpacked cast So therersquos a lot to look forward to rather than just a book being adaptedrdquoThe Thane resident is one of many Mumbaikars who has also read the book ldquoThe book is unlike anything in its sheer scale and expanserdquo added FernandesAs she is an avid reader the movie is a double treat for the citybased businesswoman because not only does she love Greek mythology but also is a fan of Nolanrsquos films Thus this is going to be the best of both worlds for herldquoWhile I donrsquot think people should watch the film because of the movie I do think itrsquos worth watching just to see how something of that magnitude has been visualised and condensed into a filmrdquo Such is her level of excitement that she is also actually considering rereading lsquoThe Odysseyrsquo before or after the movieldquoGreek mythology is so intricate elaborate and imaginative and also straight up insane At the same time they have lsquothe human experiencersquo at its heart which makes it a phenomenal reading experience So much of it is so resonant even centuries later therersquos something reassuring about it There is always something to learn from the heroes in these mythsrdquo adds Fernandes who would have loved to go for the firstday firstshow but found that it has been booked out in her neighbourhoodImmersing in The OdysseyAlong with Fernandes Colin Drsquocunha is another Mumbaikar who is extremely excited about the filmldquoIrsquom very excited to watch the film but Irsquom not going to watch it because itrsquos solely a film based on Greek mythology I will be viewing it more as a fun winding tale of a story that was written way back when attention spans werenrsquot a thing and people were just focused on largerthanlife stories built to entertain and inspirerdquoWhile Drsquocunha hasnrsquot read the book yet as a fan of Greek mythology he says he will be reading the book shortly after watching the movieldquoI just want to see how much of the film was off page and put in as entertainment rather than sticking solely to the source materialrdquo he says adding ldquoGreek myths just donrsquot sugarcoat it They have deeply flawed people doing deeply flawed things for the plot and it resonates because we would make some of those flawed decisions too Itrsquos the gospel of mess around and find out which is what wersquore doing todayrdquoEven as he gets ready to watch the film the Mumbaikar has some advice for those who have read the bookldquoI feel like we should look at Nolanrsquos Odyssey as a film made to entertain rather than educate Even if it does a little of the latterrdquoElsewhere in Pune Divya Ramesh is another bibliophile who is excited for the filmShe says I am excited especially because this isnt about the Trojan war but about more interesting journeys in the storyRamesh hasnt read the book itself However she has read a lot of different adaptations along with bits and pieces of the Greek myth stories over the years by different authors in different forms and even seen a TV show based on it With the film here she also isnt sure if she will read itShe explains I have a conception of the original Homer works being difficult to read so Ive never sought them outHowever being a reader shes always been curious to see how it is adapted for the screenThe stories and characters in Greek mythology are so fantastical and strange There are immortal gods and monsters doing horrifying petty things which makes you think about what comes with being all powerful and immortal It throws the stories of humans into sharper contrast and makes you think about things like death and war in a very storydriven and philosophical way without it getting too heavy or abstract she addsIts not only the immersive world of Greek mythology but also the way these stories remain open to interpretation that continues to fascinate herFor example Ive read the story of Orpheus and Eurydice many times as this epic and tragic love story and the Netflix show Kaos fully turned that on its head in a way Id never have thought of it was amazing I especially love the very specific stories focused on Madeline Millers books which tell the story from different queerfeminist point of view instead of always focusing on the Trojan war So Im excited to see some of those same stories in this movie from a new point of view especially since these are so open to interpretation and because its Nolan so itll be grand explains RameshNavigating books that turn into filmsBeing one of many books that have been turned into a film there is a growing interest among people to also dive into the books and Crossword Bookstores has been observing the trend ever since The Odyssey was announcedNidhi Gupta who is the director of the bookstore shares Wersquove definitely noticed renewed interest in lsquoThe Odysseyrsquo ever since Christopher Nolan announced his adaptation A film such as this has a unique ability to bring timeless stories back into the cultural conversation Wersquore seeing that translate directly into readers walking into our stores asking for different editions of Homerrsquos epicrdquoBuilding on this interest the bookstore is currently running a fascinating lsquoScript to Screenrsquo campaign panIndia across their 40 stores to pique the interest of Indian film buffs and readers alikeldquoThe campaign celebrates books that have inspired memorable films and series encouraging readers to experience the original story before or after they watch it on screen Alongside lsquoThe Odysseyrsquo the collection features titles such as the lsquoPercy Jackson and the Olympiansrsquo series lsquoRemarkably Bright Creaturesrsquo lsquoProject Hail Maryrsquo lsquoThe Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugorsquo lsquoFourth Wingrsquo to name a fewrdquo Gupta addsHowever being in the business of books Gupta is first a lover of books and highlights ldquoWersquove always found that a great adaptation doesnrsquot replace the book It sends readers back to it Films spark curiosity Books offer depth nuance and imagination that only reading can provide As a bookseller itrsquos wonderful to see cinema inspiring a new generation of readers to discover both classics and contemporary favouritesrdquo