Indian Cinema in China

Despite things like quotas on international film imports and the censoring of certain topics making China’s cinema market difficult to enter, Indian movies (particularly Bollywood films) have started to slowly gain a foothold. Recently the releases of Indian films in China’s cinemas have slowed down. But over several years in the 2010s, Bollywood releases became a fixture of film imports. Culminating in 2017, which saw the highest box office gross for a Bollywood film in China, and 2018, which saw 10 Indian films officially released in theatres. A huge jump compared to the number of releases at the beginning of the decade. Additionally, the prominent screenings of Indian films at this year’s Shanghai Film Festival and discussions among producers seem to indicate an ongoing interest in bringing Indian films into China’s cinemas.

Chinese Audience’s Love Indian Films

Researcher Yanyan Hong found, through interviewing 32 people, 4 specific qualities made Indian (specifically Bollywood) films attractive to Chinese audiences. These included:

• The featuring of social issues that are important in both countries (in particular gender equality, women’s rights, pressure in education and patriotism) while fostering a sense that these challenges can be overcome in a way that can be ultimately uplifting.
• The appeal of stars, notably actors like Aamir Khan.
• Bollywood exhibits cultural attitudes that are seen as overlapping with the sensibilities of Chinese audiences. Such as observing traditional values and beliefs tied to cultural identity (i.e. the importance of family, uniting as a community, overlapping philosophical concepts and patriotism). As well as showcasing traditional clothing and a more reserved attitude towards kissing and nudity.
• Focus being paid to the film’s story content. Romantic musicals were not looked on favourably. However, respondents said that entertaining and emotionally engaging storylines are the root of their fondness for Indian cinema.

India’s Soft Power

The past decade has seen the reach of Indian cinema grow significantly on the world stage. With films like RRR making a significant international box office and cultural impact. It was the first Indian feature to win Best Original Song at the Oscars. This decade has also seen movies from across India’s film industries release some of their biggest international successes.

With this growing prominence India’s various film industries have begun to be seen as a form of soft power. The films promote India’s culture and values worldwide while also helping to bring revenue back to the country. It is therefore understandable why filmmakers would want access to one of the world’s biggest film markets and with the revenue sharing and flat fee models implemented by China’s film industry, it’s easy to see potentially high profits if more Indian films are screened in China’s cinemas. It also helps to act as a cultural exchange across boundaries between the two countries. Whose governments have frequently been involved in geopolitical clashes. 

The Future

It’s hard to say how the love between Chinese cinemagoers and Indian cinema will progress. Yanyan Hong’s study does present several potential problems for film exchanges between the two countries. Aside from the aforementioned censorship and quotas Hong mentioned how some of the elements presented in Indian films can feel repetitive and negative stereotypes about the country due to biased reporting have caused some audiences to hold incorrect views about India. The lack of decent translation and promotion for films, the prominence of piracy for Bollywood films potentially undercutting revenue, and clashing with Hollywood releases also act as potential challenges for the future of India-China film exchanges. Along with, of course, the impact of geopolitics.

But developments around the Shanghai Film Festival, the shifting of successful Indian films like Kalki 2898AD more towards storytelling innovation over star power, the popularity of viewing Indian films online and the hunger among Chinese audiences for films that relate to their experiences could still represent good opportunities for the future development of Indian cinema in China.

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