NO DESI SHOW IN CHINESE THEATRES?
As the ‘boycott China’ chorus grows louder, we find out what’s at stake for Hindi films in China
Of late, China has emerged as a lucrative market for Hindi films, though it’s still not anywhere near other overseas countries such as US, UK or Europe. PK which released in China in 2015, Dangal in 2017, Secret Superstar, Bajrangi Bhaijaan (BB) and Hindi Medium in 2018 and Andhadhun have had dream run at the China box office.
However, the present situation in eastern Ladakh, where 20 soldiers of the Indian Army were killed in a violent confrontation with Chinese troops in Galwan Valley late on Monday, has posed the question of whether Indian films will cease to release in the neighbouring country.
NO NUMBER GAMES
Filmmaker Nikkhil Advani refuses to look at the balance sheets. “If 20 of our soldiers have been brutally killed, there’s no question of even talking or thinking about having our films released there, or how much financial losses — miniscule or big — it will entail. Hypothetically, if we are in such a tense situation with a country that contributes in a big way to our overseas film business, will we think of releasing films there? No, I don’t think so,” he says. Exhibitor-distributor Akshaye Rathi says, “It’s a producer’s call. Money-wise, you don’t stand to lose much. So, our filmmakers can skip it.”
A HIGH PROBABILITY
Film trade expert Amul Vikas Mohan feels that film industry is most likely to take a stand on the matter. “I will be shocked if they don’t. I understand that China is a brand new market, and movies are doing well there. But regardless of the financial aspect, the patriotic feeling is much stronger and that will affect decisions,” he says. Trade analyst Atul Mohan also agrees that when emotions run high in the country, it won’t be business as usual for the film industry.
NOT A BIG BLOW
Despite the whole monstrosity about the China market, Rathi notes that revenue-wise, not releasing films in China will not make much of a difference to the overall scheme of things.
“China has a policy where they allow only a limited number of foreign language films to release. So, we weren’t looking at the release of more than three to four Indian films there anyway,” Rathi explains.
THE COVID FACTOR
While it indeed is lucrative for Indian filmmakers to release their films directly on 25,000 screens in China, the Covid-19 pandemic has anyway dented that prospect and cast a cloud of uncertainty about theatres opening in such large numbers.