It is a truth universally acknowledged that Christopher Nolan operates as something of a deity in India. Amongst the pantheon of India’s flourishing lineup of box office divinity, the Oscar-winning British filmmaker’s shrine would be an IMAX theatre, and the truculent faithful would show up in droves, rain or shine, to witness his latest sermon on time, space, and the fragility of human existence. So perhaps it shouldn’t have come as a shock when his beloved 2014 space epic returned to Indian theatres and was greeted with an ecstatic, almost religious fervour.
Despite nearly a decade since its original release (or just a little over an hour on Miller’s planet), Interstellar has been pulling audiences into IMAX theatres with an enthusiasm typically reserved for caped crusaders or musical numbers for over a month. Over 3,00,000 tickets had already been sold for the first (and possibly only) week alone, with advance bookings crossing ₹10 crore, eclipsing expectations and hinting at something more than mere nostalgia. It was as if the movie itself had slipped through a wormhole and landed right back at the top of the box office.
For Ashish Saksena, COO of BookMyShow, the frenzy was hardly surprising. “Interstellar still enjoys a dedicated and passionate fanbase in India,” he noted. “Over the years, the film has gained a cult following, and we noticed significant interest from moviegoers eager to experience it on the big screen again — especially in premium formats like IMAX.”
Indeed, the numbers were staggering. Bengaluru led the ticket sales charge, closely followed by Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, and Pune. Even smaller cities like Kochi, Trivandrum, and Coimbatore were reporting heavy interest, making it clear that the re-release of Nolan’s sci-fi odyssey was being treated like a major motion picture event.
The Nolan Phenomenon
Christopher Nolan’s grip on India is a curious phenomenon: a frustrating, but often intoxicating assortment of intellectual posturing and blockbuster spectacle. Hollywood movies do well here — Marvel, Fast & Furious, the occasional Avatar sequel — but Nolan’s films are a different species. Word of his releases are celestial events, pulling crowds with the unrelenting force of a collapsing star.
A still from ‘Interstellar’
“Our data consistently reveals that Indian audiences are particularly drawn to Nolan’s films,” Saksena confirmed. “His storytelling and masterful direction resonate deeply, and the advance bookings for Interstellar were comparable to India’s biggest homegrown blockbusters.”
This is not hyperbole. Oppenheimer, Nolan’s most recent Best Picture-winning outing, became an unexpected juggernaut in India, pulling in nearly ₹150 crore — outperforming Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One and rivalling the earnings of some Bollywood heavyweights. The success of Interstellar‘s re-release is simply the latest testament to Nolan’s rare ability to marry spectacle with cerebral storytelling — an alchemy that Indian audiences seem to crave.
To say Nolan has a devoted fanbase in India would of course, be a cosmic understatement. Any critique of his work, however valid, is met with accusations of blasphemy. Call Tenet convoluted? You simply weren’t paying attention. Think Interstellar over-explains itself? Clearly, you need another viewing. Every new Nolan release is treated as an IQ test, and if you don’t “get it,” well, maybe cinema just isn’t for you. This unshakable faith has given rise to what the internet calls the “Nolan bhakts.” The irony, of course, is that the same people who claim Nolan’s films are too profound for mere mortals are also the ones keeping “Ending Explained” YouTube videos in business.
Nonetheless, the pilgrimage to our nearest IMAX screens feel like a rite of passage for film lovers who either missed it the first time or simply want to relive the experience the way it was meant to be seen — on a screen as vast as space itself.
The science of nostalgia
But why now? And why Interstellar?
The film’s resurgence goes beyond mere fandom; it taps into a deeper cultural shift. In recent years, nostalgia-driven re-releases have gained significant traction in India. Last year, Titanic’s return to theatres grossed over ₹20 crore, and David Fincher’s Se7en is set for a special IMAX screening later this year as part of the Red Lorry Film Festival.
“There’s a noticeable trend where older films, particularly those with a dedicated fanbase, have the potential to become recurring events on the release calendar,” Saksena explained. “The key is striking the right balance — these films may not compete with brand-new releases, but they provide audiences with an immersive, high-quality experience that’s hard to replicate at home.”
For Interstellar, the IMAX format played a crucial role in its resurgence. According to BookMyShow data, IMAX screenings saw an impressive 68% occupancy, underscoring a larger trend: Indian audiences are increasingly prioritising premium theatrical experiences.
A promise to return
Of course, Interstellar’s road back to Indian IMAX screens wasn’t without turbulence. Originally scheduled for a December 2023 release, it was unceremoniously booted from the lineup when Allu Arjun’s Pushpa 2 flexed its dominance. Cinephiles were livid, lamenting that “prestige” Hollywood films were being sidelined for commercial juggernauts.
Niharika Bijli, a lead strategist at PVR INOX, acknowledged the dilemma. “Balancing audience demand for Hollywood re-releases and the undeniable box office appeal of a domestic blockbuster is always a delicate process,” she admitted. “The Pushpa 2 delay made sense at the time, given the hype, but we knew Interstellar had unfinished business in Indian theatres.”
With the re-release now coinciding with the lead-up to Valentine’s Day — a strangely fitting slot for a film about love transcending space and time — the timing feels more serendipitous than strategic, with theatres even adding 6 AM screenings in response to demand.
The future of re-releases
So what does Interstellar’s staggering success mean for the future of re-releases in India? Are we about to see a revival of cinematic classics on the big screen?
Bijli thinks so. “There’s a real opportunity here. Films that have left a lasting impact on audiences deserve a second life in theatres. Interstellar proves that if the demand is there and the format is right, people will show up.”
The real question is whether Indian theatres are ready to commit. Right now, re-releases still have to fight for screen time against new blockbusters. But the sheer enthusiasm for a 10-year-old film available on Netflix still filling theatres suggests that audiences aren’t just willing; rather, eager to seek out the communal, immersive thrill of the big screen for beloved films, provided they are given the right platform.
Still, the IMAX window remains a harsh reality. Interstellar is scheduled for only a seven-day run before making way for Captain America: Brave New World. While fans are already clamouring for an extension, Bijli is pragmatic. “The IMAX calendar is often locked in advance for major releases. But we’re always listening — if demand remains strong, who’s to say we won’t bring it back again?”
A still from ‘Interstellar’
Like Lazarus
There is something special about Interstellar‘s continued relevance — a film about bending time, is the one to make time irrelevant. A film about time, loss, and the vastness of the unknown, it has somehow remained timeless, impervious to the years. Nearly a decade after its release, it still feels urgent, exhilarating, and deeply human.
At its heart, it’s about humanity’s compulsive need to look skyward—our relentless pursuit of the unattainable, our stubborn belief that the answers are always just beyond reach. So it’s only fitting that its theatrical resurrection, much like the aptly dubbed Lazarus Missions, serves to remind that some films simply refuse to be suffocated by the confines of a living room screen. Some stories, no matter how many times we try to shrink them down, demand to be seen in their full, uncontainable grandeur. Stories that insist on being seen on a screen vast enough to swallow you whole, in a room filled with people momentarily convinced that, for three hours, they too are weightless.
Or, as Nolan himself once put it, “The need to go to the movies, to sit in the dark, and experience something bigger than yourself.”
Judging by the packed IMAX halls across the country, that need is alive and well.
Interstellar is currently running in Indian theatres for a week, with shows across formats uptil Friday
Published – February 08, 2025 08:00 pm IST
