Dangal crosses $100 million mark in China!

[TM Riddle]

It has now collected over 649 crores at Chinese box office!!
Amazing!

 

[big_gamer007]

Wowww Chinese love Aamir khan I guess even 3 Idiots was well received in china.. I guess they can relate to subjects of both these movies considering it's pretty much the same over there like here..

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Have they released Baahubali in China?

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Who makes up the audience in China for Bollywood films? In the west it's almost exclusively Indian/Pakistani expats who buy the tickets, I'm assuming that's not the case in China. So are the films dubbed? What is the appeal?

 

[aniket1911]

Have they released Baahubali in China?

Not yet!

 

[CricketCartoons]

I have stopped watching Amir Khan movies since long...but so many people can't be wrong, so will give it a watch for at least Geeta Phogat.

 

[aniket1911]

Given it was competing with GG:2 for screens, It's really a remarkable feat.

Amir has carved his own niche of raising social issues which strikes similar resemblance to Chinese society. Expect more work like this from him.

 

[JaDed]

Who makes up the audience in China for Bollywood films? In the west it's almost exclusively Indian/Pakistani expats who buy the tickets, I'm assuming that's not the case in China. So are the films dubbed? What is the appeal?

Dubbed and shortened,but it has to be marketed ,since 2011 only three films have done well and all of them Amir Khan's ,3 Idiots which broke the Bollywood barrier,PK (got INR 100 crores) there and now Dangal which somehow has managed to much more than Indian Boxoffice of Dangal and will defn become double of it because ,the number of screens are much higher in China.

Amir Khan is very famous there and he promoted the movie in China also has a Weibo(Twitter,FB similar) account in China with huge followers.

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/feature/Huge-success-of-Dangal-sets-the-scene-for-future-SinoIndian-film-collaboration/shdaily.shtml

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Dubbed and shortened,but it has to be marketed ,since 2011 only three films have done well and all of them Amir Khan's ,3 Idiots which broke the Bollywood barrier,PK (got INR 100 crores) there and now Dangal which somehow has managed to much more than Indian Boxoffice of Dangal and will defn become double of it because ,the number of screens are much higher in China.

Amir Khan is very famous there and he promoted the movie in China also has a Weibo(Twitter,FB similar) account in China with huge followers.

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/feature/Huge-success-of-Dangal-sets-the-scene-for-future-SinoIndian-film-collaboration/shdaily.shtml

I'm still wondering what is the appeal for the Chinese audience? Does it have something to do with their own film industry being substandard?

 

[Slog]

Wowww Chinese love Aamir khan I guess even 3 Idiots was well received in china.. I guess they can relate to subjects of both these movies considering it's pretty much the same over there like here..

One in college I saw the most random thing ever

I was sick on a Saturday night so went down to like the common area on the first floor of our dorms.

And on the projector I see that there's a group of 10 Chinese kids and in the projector its Aamir Khan. Turns out its 3 idiots. Now the movie was dubbed in English. But the funny part was that the English had subtitles I'm Chinese (mandarin I'm assuming). And they were following it through that.

So basically the translation process had been Hindi->English->Chinese

In English the movie was butchered so only God knows how it was in Chinese

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Aamir Khan is famous in China just like Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee are famous in India.

 

[JaDed]

I'm still wondering what is the appeal for the Chinese audience? Does it have something to do with their own film industry being substandard?

According to few articles,apparently they are getting bored with special affects and the feel the story line doesn't connect with the audience and they forget it.

Few of them "apparently" criticized the Chinese film industry to not being able to make a movie like this inspite of having many athletes,also culturally there are some similarities between Chinese issues and Indian ones,also this boxoffice collection is not the norm its an exception,Dhoom 3 also dubbed and having Amir Khan flopped there.

There was movie called Kung Fu Yoga(looked crap from trailer) apparently a joint venture Jackie Chan and India(few artists) became a blockbuster there and flopped here,so yes it could also be because pretty substandard industry in terms of "scripts".

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

According to few articles,apparently they are getting bored with special affects and the feel the story line doesn't connect with the audience and they forget it.

Few of them "apparently" criticized the Chinese film industry to not being able to make a movie like this inspite of having many athletes,also culturally there are some similarities between Chinese issues and Indian ones,also this boxoffice collection is not the norm its an exception,Dhoom 3 also dubbed and having Amir Khan flopped there.

There was movie called Kung Fu Yoga(looked crap from trailer) apparently a joint venture Jackie Chan and India(few artists) became a blockbuster there and flopped here,so yes it could also be because pretty substandard industry in terms of "scripts".

I don't think I've ever seen a Chinese film, the ones which become famous in the west are usually all kung fu based rubbish which appeals to simple minded teenage boys. Not having seen any of the Amir Khan fims mentioned, I'm wondering if the appeal is just because Bollywood for all it's faults does at least deal with people and their relationships and maybe that's what appeals to the Chinese public.

 

[JaDed]

I don't think I've ever seen a Chinese film, the ones which become famous in the west are usually all kung fu based rubbish which appeals to simple minded teenage boys. Not having seen any of the Amir Khan fims mentioned, I'm wondering if the appeal is just because Bollywood for all it's faults does at least deal with people and their relationships and maybe that's what appeals to the Chinese public.

In terms of their industry I think it was doing well when it was based mostly in Hong Kong,don't think anymore it is based there,"The Departed" by Scorsese was actually a remake of Hong Kong movie "Infernal Affairs" so surely they were doing something right a decade ago,not sure what's going on now.

Korean films deal well with people and their relationships but still not many made such a huge mark,guess Chinese audience were looking for "people and their relationships" along with the "entertaining" factor.

 

[SandyB]

Chinese fans crazy about ‘Dangal’ actor Aamir Khan

http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1046486.shtml

Excerpts :

ndian actor Aamir Khan caused quite a lot of buzz when he came to China last month to attend the Beijing International Film Festival and promote his latest film Dangal, which is currently the highest earning Indian film in the Chinese mainland.

A heartthrob in his home country, the actor has also earned a huge number of dedicated fans in China.

Social focus

Khan has become a unique figure among the many idols - most of them Hollywood celebrities and South Korean pop stars - that most Chinese fans are crazy about.

First starting out in India as a child actor in 1972, Khan continued to work in front of and behind the big screen as an actor, director and producer over the next few decades to become one of the most influential names in Indian cinema.

However, most people in China got to know Khan through his role in the comedy 3 Idiots (2009), which featured a story about three students who challenged the Indian education system.

"I really related to the story. The problems with the education systems in China and India are very similar," Wang Yang (pseudonym), an avid fan of Khan, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

She first watched 3 Idiots while in high school. After this first taste, she sought out more of Khan's works, which eventually led to him becoming her idol.

"He totally became a god to me after I watched Truth Alone Triumphs," Wang said.

Truth Alone Triumphs is a TV talk show hosted by Khan that has aired on various channels in India since 2012. It mostly touches on sensitive social issues in India such as rape, female foeticide, child sexual abuse, domestic violence, untouchability and corruption in politics.

The show has been positively received by viewers for Khan's efforts to raise awareness about social issues.

"All those issues touched on in his works also exist in China, but no Chinese has ever made that type of film," Wu Qian (pseudonym), a 29-year-old fan of Khan told the Global Times. She added that the problem doesn't just lie with Chinese filmmakers, censorship in China poses obstacles for the creation of this type of work as well.

"Khan's Truth Alone Triumphs was not censored in India," Wu pointed out. "I can't even imagine what a show like that would look like in China."

Dedication to craft

Khan's latest film, sports drama Dangal has earned 141 million yuan ($20.4 million) after only 6 days in mainland theaters, despite going up against Hollywood blockbuster Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2.

Dangal has also garnered critical acclaim among audiences. The film currently has a 9.2/10 on Chinese media review site Douban.

The films tells the story of a former wrestler (Khan) who trains his daughters to be professional wrestlers - a traditionally male-dominated profession - rather than force them into arranged marriages like many other Indian parents.

Once again, many Chinese moviegoers have been amazed by Khan's courage in touching upon sensitive social issues and trying to inspire women to break the constraints of tradition.

A number of those who have seen the film, including celebrities, almost immediately posted how much they enjoyed the film on Chinese social media networks.

"At first, I liked Khan because he's handsome, cute and is a versatile actor who aims for perfection. But now I admire him for how he uses the power of being a public figure," Taitai (nickname), a Khan fan who runs the unofficial Aamir Khan Information Channel on Sina Weibo, in an e-mail interview with the Global Times.

"He knows that countries need more than government efforts to develop. Society needs to have its awareness raised as well… I wish there could be celebrities like him in China," Taitai wrote.

Taitai first decided to establish the fan account eight years ago when he noticed that China lacked any official channels featuring the latest information about Khan.

In his spare time, Taitai searches for latest news about Khan which he then uses to make videos about the star in Chinese. Additionally, he occasionally buys Khan-related products from India which he sells to fans through the channel, although he stated that he hasn't turned a profit from these transactions.

Taitai said that there has been a significant increase in the number of Khan fans in China in recent years.

"Uncle Mi's sincere passion for film and his consistent efforts in increasing social awareness is the reason that he has such a massive fan base," Taitai wrote. Uncle Mi, or Mi Shu, is the nickname by which fans refer to Khan in Chinese.

Khan's dedication to his roles has also earned him a lot of praise.

While shooting Dangal, Khan gained and lost a dramatic amount of weight for the role. To play the older version of the father character he increased his body weight to 97 kilograms. He underwent intense physical training, during which time he lost 25 kilograms, to play the character when he was a younger, more muscular wrestler.

A Facebook video of Khan training in the gym that he posted in December 2016 has been viewed more than 20 million times.

After Khan opened an official account on Sina Weibo on April 14, he attracted more than 432,499 followers in a short period of time.

According to Taitai, Khan's Chinese fans have held a number of activities, such as greeting him at the airport during his recent two visits to the mainland.

"I believe a great filmmaker does more than pure entertainment. A great movie should reflect society, and maybe help it develop to some extent," Wu said.

"He has done that. He is a great filmmaker and I wish there were more people like him in China."

China can’t get enough of Bollywood’s Uncle Khan

https://qz.com/980093/%E6%91%94%E8%B7%A4%E5%90%A7%E7%88%B8%E7%88%B8-bollywoods-aamir-khan-uncle-khan-smashes-chinese-box-office-records-with-wrestling-film-dangal/

Uncle Khan has done it again.

Bollywood star Aamir Khan’s latest film, Dangal, has set a new box-office record in China, according to state-owned news portal China Internet Information Center. Four days after the movie’s release, Dangal amassed 124 million yuan ($18 million) in ticket sales to become the highest-grossing Indian movie in China. The film displaced the previous record holder, PK, which also starred Khan and had grossed 110 million yuan ($16 million).

Affectionately known as Uncle Khan by the Chinese, the 52-year-old star has a legion of fans in China who have found an emotional connection to his movies. The film Three Idiots, which screened in China in 2011, appealed to Chinese millennials because of its depiction of excessive pressures faced by India’s engineering students, something people in China could relate to.

His latest, Dangal—or 摔跤吧!爸爸 (Wrestle! Dad), as it’s known in China—is based on the true story of an Indian wrestling champion who trained two of his daughters to become world-class wrestlers after his wife gave birth to four daughters but no son. Like the film Three Idiots, the parallels between Indian and Chinese culture resonated deeply with China’s moviegoers, who innately understood India’s preference for sons and skewed sex ratio. For the role, Khan had undergone dramatic weight gain and loss, shedding 25 kg (55 lbs) for the second phase of shooting to reflect the different age of his character.

The culture similarities won the hearts of Khan’s Chinese fans, who praised him for touching on social issues. “Just watched Dangal, have to say I laughed and cried a lot, and of course was moved,” a Chinese fan commented (link in Chinese) on Khan’s Weibo. “Thank you for always being concerned about social events, rights for girls, medicine, education… [You have] enlightened me in many ways.”

 

[SandyB]

This is an incredible cultural phenomenon. One Man from Indian has influenced mainstream/mainstream conscience of a huge nation .. This is the kind of Impact you have only seen American pop stars or Sports legends make . !

 

[SandyB]

I'm still wondering what is the appeal for the Chinese audience? Does it have something to do with their own film industry being substandard?

Yup. That is the core reason. You can only show so many daredevil stunts and flying Kung-Fu warriors , before the people get tired.

Their industry overdoses on the Kun-Fu / Fantasy fare , the way Bollywood overdoses on NRI rom-coms .

Aamir's films were a whole new experience.

According to few articles,apparently they are getting bored with special affects and the feel the story line doesn't connect with the audience and they forget it.

Few of them "apparently" criticized the Chinese film industry to not being able to make a movie like this in-spite of having many athletes,also culturally there are some similarities between Chinese issues and Indian ones,also this box-office collection is not the norm its an exception,Dhoom 3 also dubbed and having Amir Khan flopped there.

Another reason is that because of the 34 -Foreign film restriction, the Hollywood movies that make it to China are all big,loud and dumbed down popcorn fare like the Superhero films or franchises like fast & furious. They don't get access to more serious works from Hollywood and are fatigued by the "superhero" stuff .

This was a recurring opinion of many of the chinese reviews on Dangal .

I don't think I've ever seen a Chinese film, the ones which become famous in the west are usually all kung fu based rubbish which appeals to simple minded teenage boys. Not having seen any of the Amir Khan fims mentioned, I'm wondering if the appeal is just because Bollywood for all it's faults does at least deal with people and their relationships and maybe that's what appeals to the Chinese public.

Bollywood overdoes emotions and relationships. But guess what , the Chinese DIG that !. They seem to be over expressive, over-emotional people as well.

And one thing , for all his faults, Aamir's films (apart from the abomination of Ghajni)are usually the less cheesier of the big Khan movies. So there is a subtle amount of subtlety in his works..

In terms of their industry I think it was doing well when it was based mostly in Hong Kong,don't think anymore it is based there,"The Departed" by Scorsese was actually a remake of Hong Kong movie "Infernal Affairs" so surely they were doing something right a decade ago,not sure what's going on now.

Korean films deal well with people and their relationships but still not many made such a huge mark,guess Chinese audience were looking for "people and their relationships" along with the "entertaining" factor.

Hong Kong cinema has been affected by the recent protests for independence I guess. SO the chinese government has been trying hard to prop up the mainland film industry.

Again Korean films are too Hollywood like I guess, whereas the Chinese seem to want more "emotional" stuff.

 

[big_gamer007]

One in college I saw the most random thing ever

I was sick on a Saturday night so went down to like the common area on the first floor of our dorms.

And on the projector I see that there's a group of 10 Chinese kids and in the projector its Aamir Khan. Turns out its 3 idiots. Now the movie was dubbed in English. But the funny part was that the English had subtitles I'm Chinese (mandarin I'm assuming). And they were following it through that.

So basically the translation process had been Hindi->English->Chinese

In English the movie was butchered so only God knows how it was in Chinese

Wow lol I think after reading articles posted by Sandy it seems Chinese movie makers are not given enough freedom by their censor board to raise social issues which Aamir khan raised in 3 Idiots and Dangal.. That is why they can connect to his movies since they face same problem in china as we do in India.. But yea I have always wondered when a film gets dubbed in another language how can anyone make out the punch lines which are part of the native language..

Like what will K2J2 sound like in mandarin and would they get that joke as Indian viewers did?

 

[big_gamer007]

[MENTION=140459]SandyB[/MENTION] did it earn $100 mill in china or 100 mill yuan?? From the articles you posted it seems it's 100mill yuan and not USD?

 

[SandyB]

[MENTION=140459]SandyB[/MENTION] did it earn $100 mill in china or 100 mill yuan?? From the articles you posted it seems it's 100mill yuan and not USD?

That is an older article. Recent updates from trade analysts quote 100 million USD = 682 Crores INR.. Most likely the movie will outdo it business in India. !

 

[troodon]

 

[kukkad kamaal]

That's hell lot of money!!

 

[SandyB]

Salman Khan's next , TUBELIGHT starts Chinese superstar Zhu Zhu in the lead. So filmmakers are starting to exploit the possibilities of the Chinese market more.

 

[Zak_Fan]

Amir is big in China. Almost every single Chinese I know loved 3 idiots, so not surprised that Dangal too is doing well.

 

[big_gamer007]

That is an older article. Recent updates from trade analysts quote 100 million USD = 682 Crores INR.. Most likely the movie will outdo it business in India. !

Damn Aamir is so popular in China ever knew that if his next flick where he plays lead is about another common social issue with china it will surely get all the hype and break all records.. Good to see Indian movies breaking into the 1000 crore barrier now.. Hopefully other superstars can make quality work like Aamir and not the crappy good guy bashes 100 bad guys type of flicks..

 

[SandyB]

Damn Aamir is so popular in China ever knew that if his next flick where he plays lead is about another common social issue with china it will surely get all the hype and break all records.. Good to see Indian movies breaking into the 1000 crore barrier now.. Hopefully other superstars can make quality work like Aamir and not the crappy good guy bashes 100 bad guys type of flicks..

You need a lot of marketing power and a bit of luck to get in the list of 34 films that China allows per year. Apart from the Khans and rarities like Baahubali, I don't see the other quality filmmakers in Bollywood getting their films to play there. Only monster hits in India even attempt release in China.

If Dangal starred any one like Irrfan Khan or something, it'd maybe make 100/200 CR here, but would never have been to China.

 

[Zak_Fan]

753 Crores now. Lifetime India collection was 380 crore.

 

[JaDed]

It will not remain on top this weekend,Pirates is expected to perform very well, crazy BO collection though,surely even Amir didn't expect this considering PK was only 110 crore or something.

Chinese box office has become big,no wonder I see so many Chinese production companies in hollywood movies/series.

Kudos to Firefly when they had Mandarin in their show

 

[King Kong]

753 Crores now. Lifetime India collection was 380 crore.

753 crore figure in China was gross while 380 cr in India was nett. Gross in India must be around 650 crore.

 

[Zak_Fan]

753 crore figure in China was gross while 380 cr in India was nett. Gross in India must be around 650 crore.

Oh I see. Thanks for the clarification.