‘The Odyssey’: Can’t Watch Christopher Nolan's Film in True 70mm IMAX in India? Here Are Mumbai’s Best Options

You are not going to be able to watch Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey in the way he intended for you to watch it… if you’re in India. 

That’s right. There are only roughly 35 to 40 true IMAX theatres in the world that support the physical print of the 70 MM IMAX film that will showcase the upcoming epic fantasy-actioner in the 1.43:1 ratio as opposed to the 1.90:1 ratio that one will see in digital IMAX theatres.

But that shouldn’t stop you from having the best possible experience, given the circumstances. So here’s a guide to the best IMAX screens in Mumbai and what you need to keep in mind before booking your tickets. 

INOX R-City and INOX Inorbit are roughly the same size and while they do show the movie in a 1.90:1 ratio, these theatres are what are commonly referred to as LieMax theatres because of the projection systems they use. Both theatres use IMAX Dual Xenon 3D which uses two 2K resolution projectors as opposed to the ideal 4K projector which means darker images, grey blacks, and lesser contrast. Add to this a smaller six-track sound array and as far as IMAX experiences go, this becomes sub-par.

INOX EROS Cinema, INOX JioWorld Plaza BKC, and INOX Skycity Oberoi Mall are pretty similar as well. At 69 by 36 feet, the Skycity theatre is the second largest screen in the city whereas the Eros and JioWorld Plaza screens are smaller.

What makes all of them pretty similar though, is the fact that they all use the IMAX XT Laser 3D projection system which was basically developed as a cost-effective, space-saving solution for multiplexes to easily upgrade older Xenon theaters. As a result of which it has a five channel sound system as opposed to the best possible 12 channels. Basically, while the image and sound quality are good, they are far from being the best.

Then we have Miraj Cinemas, Wadala. At 72 by 41 feet, this is the biggest screen in the city but similar to the theatres earlier listed, this too uses an IMAX XT Laser 3D projection system. While the screen size makes it an immersive experience, the screen has multiple visible green dots which can sometimes be distracting.

Our pick: Last but definitely not least, is the IMAX screen at PVR Phoenix Lower Parel. While it is smaller in size compared to Skycity and Miraj, it has a massive upper hand because of its projection system. This theatre uses the IMAX Commercial Laser 3D, more commonly referred to as IMAX CoLa. Its dual lens 4K projector provides high contrast, deep blacks and in general a superior colour definition. Add to this an insanely immersive 12-channel surround sound system, and it’s not even a competition anymore.