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Why Dangal broke box office records in China (according to Aamir Khan)

Why Dangal broke box office records in China (according to Aamir Khan)

The film earned Rs872 crore to become the highest grossing non-US film in China this month
31 May, 2017

Aamir Khan's latest blockbuster Dangal made headlines earlier this month as it became the highest grossing non-US film in China.

The film, which is based on India's Phogat sisters who were encouraged to pursue wrestling by their retired father in spite of the sport being dominated by men, has earned approximately Rs 872 crore in China until May 28. It beat the record of Aamir's earlier film, the 2014 science fiction film PK.

How does he think Dangal managed the feat?

“The reason it has become so huge, according to me, in China is that they connected on an emotional level with the story, the characters and the moments," Aamir said to Hindustan Times.

"I have been reading their reactions on social media. They have been saying things like how the movie moved them and how the characters inspired them so much. It made them realise what their parents went through. Many of them called up their parents and cried. It’s a very emotional reaction. That is what has made the film really work.”

Still, the film's success in China was a surprise to Aamir.

“While we were hoping that ‘Dangal’ connects with the people of China, not in our wildest dreams we thought that this is the kind of connect we would have. It was unprecedented. We are pleasantly surprised,” he said.

The film, however, also garnered some negative feedback as some thought eate history by becoming the first highest-earning non-Hollywood film in the country.

The Nitesh Tiwari directorial that chronicles the story of the real life Phogat sisters -- Geeta and Babita -- released in China as Shuai Jiao Baba (Let’s Wrestle, Dad) on May 5 in around 7,000 screens. The film garnered Rs 872 crore in China until May 28 evening.

So what clicked with the Chinese audience this time?

Dangal was slammed by a section of the people in China, especially feminists, who tagged it as a movie that reeks of patriarchy and male chauvinism.

But Aamir is overwhelmed with the positive impact that the movie has left on people. “It had a deep impact on women and men, and how we as a society can treat the girl child. It also had a big impact on wrestling. The kind of interest people have taken in wrestling after the film is significant,” he said.

Comments

ROshan May 31, 2017 08:54am
I watched Dangal here in China and Chinese people liking it very much.! Aamir has a huge fan following here.
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Mohd. atta May 31, 2017 09:05am
Long Live Aamir Khan! An outstanding actor and director!
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PP May 31, 2017 09:41am
As an Indian, I am feeling very proud of Aamir's Dangal. Proud that Indian cinema has made such a beautiful and motivating movie. Not surprised with the feedback received from China. Hope this movie motivates Indian filmmakers to make more such wonderful movies. Hope this movie also encourages more families all over the world to support girls to enter sports.
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Samad Chaudhry London May 31, 2017 09:45am
A beautiful film of Love and emotions. I watched it in London.
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Anusri Tripathi May 31, 2017 09:55am
Best movie of Amir Khan.
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The_Truth May 31, 2017 10:12am
Amir khan is a world renowned actor. People all over the world respects him. He gets more love outside India than inside India. We need people like aamir khan in Pakistan.
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anil sahu May 31, 2017 10:56am
@Mohd. atta by the way director is nitesh tiwari so kudos to whole team..
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kuNAL MAJUMDAR May 31, 2017 11:33am
@The_Truth: The truth however is that Aamir Khan is very much loved and respected in India. He has endorsed many Central Govt. Social Service programs because of his pan India appeal. We don't live with blinkers on.
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bond May 31, 2017 11:33am
@anil sahu Mohd. is right. Amir is also a director, just not for Dangal
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Shabdik May 31, 2017 11:39am
But Movie not shown in pakistan so sad...
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sri1 May 31, 2017 12:28pm
Ever since "3 idiots" released in China and became a huge super-hit among youth and students there, Aamir Khan has become a sensation there - one can check the many Oriental (Chinese, Korean, Malay, Uzbek, Tajik) renditions of Zubi Dubi on youtube and the comments to understand the kind of popularity that movie had. It just opened up a huge vista for the Chinese into Indian movies (just like Raj Kapoor movies in sixties Russia or Rajnikant movies in nineties Japan) and all subsequent Aamir Khan movies have done well in China.
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RAJA CHILL May 31, 2017 12:55pm
"The film garnered Rs 872 crore in China until May 28 evening" Rs are in Indian Currency. PKR would be much higher than this.
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RAJA CHILL May 31, 2017 12:57pm
The latest figures show that the movie is now ranked 33rd film in Chinese cinema history to cross one Billion RMB, which in Indian currency amounts to about Rs 1000 crore.
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Raees May 31, 2017 02:25pm
The kind of effort Amir puts in to his films, is remarkable. He has set the bar high for Bollywood. Good for them. They really need to get out of Salman and Shahrukh Khan brand of "Masala films".
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skumar May 31, 2017 03:34pm
the theme of dangal re-connects well with the family culture of chinese , which is currently on the wane due to modernism and materialism . Hope they retrace their cultural and family values , atleast to some extent . we need such films
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kuNAL MAJUMDAR May 31, 2017 04:58pm
@bond: Correction: Aamir Khan has never directed any film till date. In Dangal he is the co-producer. Nitesh Tiwari is the Director.
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