'The Odyssey' Press Conference Was a Joke: Journalist Rohit Khilnani Lashes Out at Film's Cast for Not Taking Press Questions

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JUST THREE DAYS REMAIN until the release of 2026’s biggest film, The Odyssey, directed by Christopher Nolan, and the film’s crew made a stop in Mumbai, India, for promotions. Nolan, along with actor Matt Damon, Tom Holland, and producer Emma Thomas, attended a press conference as part of their promotional tour for their upcoming film on July 11, 2026.

While the internet has been flooded with reels and footage of crowds cheering for the iconic team during their visit to India, entertainment journalist Rohit Khilnani claimed that the press conference was not actually a press conference.

Khilnani, who is a Mumbai-based journalist, took to his Instagram, where he posted a video sharing his experience at The Odyssey press conference. He wrote in the caption of the video, “When press freedom was shredded in front of #ChristopherNolan, @matt_damon_official, @tomholland2013, and producer Emma Thomas at the Mumbai ‘Press Conference’ of #TheOdyssey.” Calling the event his “worst experience,” Khilnani stated that the details shared in the video would not be shared by anyone else.

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“I will tell you why the The Odyssey Mumbai junket experience was the worst experience of my life while covering Hollywood,” said Khilnani, who has been an entertainment journalist for around 25 years. He further added that journalists were aware that the Burson public relations company would be handling the PR for the event. Sharing a screenshot of the invitation that was sent, Khilnani clarified that the event was supposed to be a press conference. “But the press was not allowed to ask questions, and the press was not allowed to record,” said Khilnani.

He further shared a short clip that he allegedly recorded discreetly at the event, in which a senior Burson employee said, as quoted by Khilnani, “This is a global mandate that we (journalists) can't record anything.” He also shared an audio recording in which the host said, “This is not a press conference. I'll be honest, it's a celebration.”

No Press Freedom at The Odyssey Event in Mumbai

Rohit Khilnani shared that he had asked PR publicist whether journalists could ask questions, to which he received a text response: “You can share the questions with us here. We will check if they can be facilitated.”

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Comparing his ordeal to a hostage situation, as Khilnani was neither allowed to record nor ask any questions, he continued that he received another text message while waiting at the venue. The text read: “Bollywood Hungama – Rohit Khilnani: For Matt, The Odyssey is defined by resilience. What’s the one quality from it that you have carried into your own life?”

Rohit Khilnani criticised the move and claimed that a publicist was telling journalists what questions to ask at the event and whom they should be asked to. He also reflected on the situation by writing in the caption, “If you’re inviting real journalists, why hand them planted questions? It turns journalists into actors.”

Concluding the video, he shared that he had covered junket events around the world for various Hollywood films and had never experienced anything like this. He also asked the The Odyssey team, who are currently on a worldwide press tour for their upcoming film, whether the situation in Mumbai was the norm in every country or whether India was being treated differently.

The Odyssey is a 2026 film directed by Christopher Nolan and produced by Nolan and his wife, producer Emma Thomas. The epic fantasy action film features an ensemble cast of several A-list actors, including Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Elliot Page, and Lupita Nyong'o, among others. The film, which has a runtime of 2 hours and 52 minutes, will be released worldwide on July 17, 2026.

(Edited by Harsh Pandey)

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