Cutting chai and bun maska; Nolan goes 'Mumbaikar' with visit to iconic Olympia

‘The Odyssey’, considered to be the cinematic magnum opus of eminent director Christopher Nolan, had its Indian premiere yesterday. Photos of Christopher Nolan, Matt Damon, and Tom Holland strutting across the hassle-filled city of Mumbai have already gone viral on social media.

However, what struck a chord with Mumbaikars is the trio's visit to the iconic Olympia Coffee House in Colaba. The director virtuoso and his crew entered the café, much to the relief of seeing a nonchalant crowd. When it came to ordering, the crew looked well prepared — cutting chai and bun maska.

Universal Pictures posted the image on social media, which went viral in no time. As per reports, those enjoying the iconic tea in the café mistook the trio for some foreign diplomats for the entourage of police blanketing them.

However, locals think that ‘Olympia’ doesn’t require any push from Hollywood to become famous. The 108-year-old café was started by Syed Mohammed Merab, an Iranian businessman. Generations passed, but the family still runs the place.

It was the same Olympia that brought the Irani cafe culture to the streets of Mumbai, which then spread across the breadth of India. The marble-topped communal tables, mirrored walls and the unique ceiling fans are idiosyncratic of the place. Apart from the legendary cutting chai and bun muska, the café offers a melange of culinary specials, including mutton kheema pav, chicken and mutton biryani, omelettes, bheja masala, and a caramel custard. It was the Olympia that made Mumbaikars change their staple breakfast from roti to cheap kheema.

With the visit from the Odyssey crew, the legend of the café will now further travel across the globe.