The movie "Sultan" came to China, but it stumbled at the box office. This work, which was supposed to continue the popularity of Indian films, was disappointingly mediocre. Will the rising trend of Indian films in China come to an end? There is no conclusion yet, but Chinese audiences are obviously already familiar with the "routines" of Indian films and have lost their freshness.
Since last year's "Wrestling! After "Dad" won nearly 1.3 billion box office in China, Indian films have had a wonderful chemical reaction with Chinese audiences. This is of course thanks to Aamir Khan. In fact, his movie "Three Silly Troubles in Hollywood" has been noticed by Chinese fans as early as 2011, but it has not reached a general understanding. Subsequently, his works "My God", "The Stars on Earth" and "Phantom Car God" were also regarded as fine products by movie fans. So, "Wrestle! After "Dad", Aamir Khan's new work "Mysterious Superstar" was released in the mainland this year. Relying on his appeal and the warm tears of the film, it once again achieved a box office of more than 700 million.
It can be said that Aamir Khan has become a conscience brand in India and an ambassador for the promotion of Indian films in China. However, if Aamir Khan is alone, Indian cinema will not be able to go further in China. The most expensive mythical masterpiece in Indian history released this year, "Baahubali 2: The End", has not exceeded 100 million at the box office in China; and this "Sultan" obviously wants to use the same sports theme "Wrestling!" Some "traffic" of "Dad", but the box office is currently only more than 26 million.
The failure of "Baahubali 2" and "Sultan" has a common reason, and that is full of routines. This can be said to be the "naive simplicity" of Indian cinema. Their love for heroes overflowed the screen, and "touting" never spared no effort. Those shocking scenes in "Baahubali 2", such as tying a rubber band between the coconut trees, and then launching the army of justice to the enemy's city wall, the hero and heroine dancing on the amphibious swan boat, all let China The audience is very restless; the same is true for "Sultan": it took only a few months for the hero to go from an ordinary farmer to a professional wrestler who defeated the world. In a lightning-fast process, he won the Olympic championship again. In the final MMA battle, A life-threatening fractured rib was miraculously reversed in the end.
However, Chinese audiences have a different worldview and a more rational attitude. Therefore, the very religious but unreasonable "miracle life" in Indian films may be optimistic and proud to Indian audiences, but it is difficult for Chinese audiences to fully accept it. This is also why Chinese audiences are now more and more fond of realistic themes like "I'm Not the God of Medicine" - after watching too many dreamy movies, Chinese audiences also want to wake up for a while in the movie.
Among the other Indian films released this year, "Starting Line" and "Toilet Hero" were praised by Chinese audiences for their attention to the realities of Indian society. The domestic box office of "Starting Line" exceeded 100 million. And "Little Lolita's Uncle Monkey God" is touching because of its interpretation of the India-Pakistan conflict from the perspective of civilians, with a box office of 285 million in the mainland. The hero of the film is also the hero of "Sultan", Salman Khan, one of India's "Three Khans".
Salman Khan's appearance and acting skills are good, but this time he entered the Chinese market, but he is obviously not as calm as Aamir Khan's works. Aamir Khan's "wrestling" is for women's rights, Salman Khan is for love. The depth of the work has been divided into high and low. Moreover, Aamir Khan plays a fat and deformed old father in the film, and "Sultan" is "recognizing" himself through the film. In addition, another reason why "Sultan" is cold is that the film is an old work in India in 2016. With the rapid changes in today's world, two years are enough for people to have new questions and new experiences in life. The open life of "Sudan" cannot inspire Chinese audiences who are experiencing consumption downgrades and unavoidable difficulties in 2018.
"Sultan" is the sixth Indian film introduced this year, and the number also broke the record of previous years. However, the foothold of Indian films in China is not solid, and the "gold content" is also declining. Chinese audiences have become accustomed to the model of Indian films: social problems + Indian humor + sensationalism, and there is not much skill in narrative.
In fact, it is the earnest creative energy of Indian filmmakers that has won the respect of Chinese audiences. You must know that the proportion of actor fees in Indian films is only about 15%-20%, and they cannot participate in the box office share, while scenes, productions and special effects account for 65%. Most of their money is not spent on celebrities, but to realize the simple desire to "make a good movie". This sincerity also makes Chinese audiences choose to be tolerant.
The problem is just that if such a routine is repeated again and again, it will be difficult to work.
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