Rival countries China and India have battled over the economic and territorial power in South Asia for years, focusing on cultural influence known as soft power.
Hollywood was China’s main competition when it came to movies due to superior technology and graphics.
Recently the game changed with Dangal, a movie starring Aamir Khan which was a big hit in the Indian movie market and managed to secure $194 million in two months from the Chinese market, setting a record as one of the highest-grossing films of all time in China.
Chinese citizens loved the simplistic story of a man struggling to train his daughters to be world class wrestlers in Dangal.
Throngs of people in China were spotted taking selfies with the movie poster outside the theatres. The excitement this movie caused drove Chinese production companies to view Bollywood as serious competition.
Aamir Khan was already popular in China for his starring role in “3 Idiots”. This movie got popularised through pirated mediums and paved the way for Aamir Khan’s commercial success in China.
The almost similar family structure and social sensibilities of the two countries have played an important role for the Chinese people to relate with the story of Dangal. The movie introduces the particular dimensions of women’s empowerment and is celebrated for being one of the most progressive movies coming out of the Indian subcontinent.
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
