http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=16983
Lagaan revives memories of Raj Kapoor in China
Anil K Joseph (Press Trust of India)
Posted online: Wednesday, November 20, 2002 at 1654 hours IST
Updated: Wednesday, November 20, 2002 at 1659 hours IST
Beijing, November 20: Bollywood blockbuster Lagaan on Wednesday
became the first Indian movie to be released in China nation-wide,
rekindling memories of the Raj Kapoor era when Indian films were
immensely popular in the neighbouring communist nation.
The Oscar foreign film nominee 2002, Lagaan is the first Indian
film that has been released nation-wide in China, said Joe Zhang,
an official from columbia Tri Star Film Distributors
International.
"Continuing with its international success and now reaching here,
Lagaan brings us a great chance to break the wrong idea that "good
movies are American ones, a chance to introduce the Indian culture
to the common Chinese," Zhang said.
"Now we are reminded of the times when Raj Kapoor films like Awara
was a big hit in China," he said.
The premiere was well-attended with well-wishers of India, film
buffs as well as a host of Chinese media thronging the venue.
Welcoming the release, charge-de-affaires, Embassy of India,
Debnath Shaw hoped that Chinese People would have more such
opportunities to view Indian films.
"Our Chinese friends tell me that Indian films such as Awara and Do
Bigha Zameen were very popular in China in the past, but today they
do not get many opportunities to see such quality films in theatre
houses across China.
