Christopher Nolan On Indian Cinema: 'One Of The Greatest Film Cultures Of The World'

New Delhi: Noted Hollywood filmmaker Christopher Nolan revealed it to news agency IANS that one of the reasons behind his three-day visit to India is to 'engage with people from one of the greatest film cultures in the world'. "In fact that is one of the reasons why I am here in India, other than I believe in the cause (of saving celluloid film), is to meet more people from the Indian film industry and engage with the people from one of the greatest film cultures of the world... to learn more about it," IANS quoted Christopher Nolan as saying. In 2011, Mr Nolan had come to India to shoot a sequence for his film The Dark Knight Rises in Jodhpur.

Speaking on the sidelines of a media event, Christopher Nolan also said that he enjoyed watching Indian cinema. He told IANS, "I have watched some Indian cinema, not enough though but enjoyed them very much. I want to watch more of them."

The Dunkirk director, who has been invited to offer his views on the importance of celluloid in a digital era, met several Bollywood celebrities including superstar Shah Rukh Khan, Kamal Haasan during his stay in Mumbai.

See pictures of Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan and Kamal Haasan at the event organised by Shivendra Singh Dungarpur.
  
Shah Rukh Khan even posted a picture of him with Christopher Nolan on Twitter and wrote, "My fanboy moment. Inspiring to hear Mr. Nolan & Ms. Tacita Dean talk of the virtues of celluloid as an artist's medium. Thanks, @shividungarpur for having me over."

Here's what Shah Rukh Khan posted on Twitter:
 

My Fanboy moment. Inspiring to hear Mr.Nolan & Ms.Tacita Dean talk of the virtues of celluloid as an artist's medium. Thanks @shividungarpur for having me over pic.twitter.com/08dyi0kmwz

— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) March 31, 2018

The Insomnia director also revealed it to IANS that despite living in a digital age he refrains from using social media and cell phones. "Well, I really don't have to think about Facebook... I am not really interested in social media. We may live in a digital age but we are also living in an analogue world. One of the interesting things about celluloid film is also; it really has a very good relationship with the real life; that for me at least, digital doesn't. It is about powerful storytelling too," reported IANS. Mr Nolan also added, "There is a problem with the word digital. The word digital semantically means what? What is digital? Digital technology is used in everything. I used a massive amount of digital technology in my films."

Before arriving in Mumbai, Christopher Nolan enjoyed a short trip to Delhi with his family, where he was welcomed as per traditional Indian rituals. A source revealed it to IANS that Christopher Nolan, his wife Emma Thomas Nolan and their children, who stayed at The Taj Mahal Hotel, were 'treated with a warm traditional Indian welcome.'

Christopher Nolan has been invited to India by the Film Heritage Foundation, headed by film archivist Shivendra Singh Dungarpur. He is expected to fly out on April 2.

(With inputs from IANS)