Why are Tom Holland and Zendaya in Mumbai and what is the NMANCC?

Tom Holland and Zendaya certainly are certainly ‘far from home’ as the Hollywood couple were spotted arriving in India on Thursday. 

Their appearance comes after reports suggested the pair had bought a $5.7 million home in Richmond, London and moved in just a short 10 minute drive from Tom’s family home. 

The Spiderman co-stars landed in Mumbai’s Kalina airport for the first time as a couple with reported plans to attend a cultural festival being held in the Indian’s entertainment capital over the weekend.

While their exact plans are not known, Zendaya and Tom are allegedly expected to appear alongside others such as Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra at the grand opening of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre which begins today (31 March) and boasts a spectacular three-day launch.

Created by Indian philanthropist Nita Mukesh Ambani, the NMANCC is a dream project to preserve and promote Indian arts with a 2,000 seat grand theatre in the Jio World Centre in the Bandra-Kurla Complex.

According to the Indian Times, the NMANCC is a ‘pioneering, cross-disciplinary art venue designed to pique community interest in the arts,’ which has a museum area in addition to its stage, for exhibitions and shows.

Speaking about the opening, Nita Ambani said: “Bringing this Cultural Centre to life has been a sacred journey. We were keen to create a space for both promoting and celebrating our artistic and cultural heritage in cinema and music, in dance and drama, in literature and folklore, in arts and crafts and in science and spirituality. A space where we showcase the best of India to the world and welcome the best of the world to India.”

Just as Nita Ambani expressed, the ‘best’ of young Hollywood, being Tom and Zendaya, have arrived for the opening of the cultural landmark, just days after the likes of Cara Delevingne and Simone Ashley were in Mumbai for the Dior Fall 2023 Show.