Aamir Khan Sees ‘Win-Win’ Future for Indian-Chinese Film Partnerships at WAVES Summit

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At the first-ever WAVES (World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit), held in Mumbai, renowned Bollywood actor Aamir Khan emphasized the notable cultural parallels shared by Indian and Chinese audience bases as a starting point for more substantial partnerships within their respective film industries.

Khan’s movies have experienced extraordinary success within the Chinese market, with “Dangal” earning approximately $193 million alone.

As a movie enthusiast, I found a striking resemblance when I witnessed the responses of Chinese audiences to my films at WAVES. It seemed as though their emotional reactions mirrored those of Indians, creating an uncanny parallel. The way the Chinese audience responded to ‘Dangal’ was almost indistinguishable from how an Indian audience would react, suggesting a surprising cultural connection.

Khan stated that partnership between the two nations presents a beneficial prospect. “In my opinion,” he said, “it’s advantageous whether we’re talking about collaboration from a creative standpoint, an emotional level, or even a business perspective. I truly believe it’s a win-win situation if we partner with China.” He further pointed out that an Indo-Chinese film featuring stars from both countries would appeal to nearly half of the world’s population. Moreover, he mentioned that both countries are ancient civilizations boasting rich histories, implying that they have much to gain by cooperating with each other.

This gathering, consisting of Prasad Shetty (a producer from Shanghai), Stanley Tong (a filmmaker from Hong Kong), and Peter Chan Ho-sun (a director-producer also hailing from Hong Kong), delved into different methods to foster greater collaboration between Indian and Chinese cinema industries.

Shetty echoed Khan’s thoughts on common values, stating, “The manner in which human feelings are expressed, family emotions are handled, and the shared value of parents wishing their children to succeed while worrying about their marriages… it’s remarkably similar.” He proposed that Indian filmmakers could seize a substantial opportunity in China by sharing tales deeply rooted in Indian culture. The emotional depth of these stories tends to resonate universally.

Stanley Tong, who has filmed three movies in India, including “The Myth” and “Kung Fu Yoga” with Jackie Chan, expressed his admiration for Indian architecture, martial arts, and culture, which led him to choose India as a location. Tong remarked that Indian films often center around themes of family values, friendship, love, and social issues, all of which strongly resonate with Chinese audiences.

Chan, who collaborated with renowned Indian choreographer Farah Khan in his musical “Perhaps Love,” emphasized the importance of moving beyond stereotypical productions by just featuring stars from various countries. Instead, he advocated for creating films that resonate with our personal beliefs and affections. If it’s a local movie, he suggested making it authentic. He also pointed out that a film becomes globally relevant when its narrative evokes strong emotional responses in audiences, regardless of their geographical location.

One potential approach could involve reaching a consensus among the speakers that an urgent step might be setting up a bilateral Indo-China Film Festival, with events taking place in Shanghai and Mumbai. This endeavor is aimed at fostering collaboration between the creative sectors of both nations.

During the conversation, Khan consistently stressed the importance of organic collaboration, especially when it comes to scriptwriting and story creation. “In my opinion,” he stated, “the method I use for filmmaking and the projects I’m involved in needs to follow an organic progression.

At the heart of the first WAVES summit, I found myself surrounded by industry pioneers from diverse areas of entertainment, all gathered to delve into potential collaborations as we navigate the dynamic and ever-changing global media sphere together.

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2025-05-02 18:17