Journalism of Courage
It is a strange coincidence that Baahubali 2's sucess and Dangal getting a second wind in China came at almost the same time. What many are terming as a golden period of Indian cinema, both the films have come neck-to-neck in the competition to become the biggest blockbuster in Indian cinema's history. So where do Aamir Khan and SS Rajamouli film stand today? As on May 23, while Baahubali 2 had earned Rs 1586 crore, Aamir Khan's Dangal stood at Rs 1548 crore, as tweeted by tarde tracker Ramesh Bala. So, the difference between two mega earners was less than Rs 40 crore.
Francois da Silva, who is handling international sales of Baahubali 2, told Variety, "With Baahubali: The Conclusion we are now at $220 million worldwide, without China. Our target now is for China to give us the biggest lifetime score of all time for an Indian movie." The first installment of franchise Baahubali 1 earned only $7 million in China. But can Baahubali 2 create the same wave in China as Aamir Khan's Dangal?
About Baahubali 2 and Dangal figures, he wrote, "#Baahubali2 and #Dangal @ WW BO Till May 23rd 2017: #Baahubali2 - ₹ 1,586 Crs, #Dangal - ₹ 1,548 Crs." Dangal, meanwhile, is unstoppable in China where it has become the biggest non-Hollywood hit ever, propelling Aamir Khan as the most popular Indian. In fact, it earned well on Wednesday and has now this as its worldwide earning: "#Dangal WW BO (Till May 24th 2017): #China - ₹ 793 Crs, #Taiwan - ₹ 26 Crs, RoW - ₹ 744 Crs, Total - ₹ 1,563 Crs."
Dangal not only broke PK and 3 Idiots' records in China but also created a niche for itself in the country. It managed to beat Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 to retain a top position at China box office. Aamir Khan's film also created a strong interest on China's social media Weibo.
Interestingly, Aamir Khan's Dangal created a debate on female empowerment and a father's domineering nature. Some in China also questioned its feminism. Its success can be encapsulated in the fact that Dangal is now the highest grossing non-Hollywood film in China.
Talking about this, trade analyst Taran Adarsh said, "After the love showered upon #Dangal in China, one looks forward to #Baahubali2 making a huge impression there... #IndianCinemaGoingGlobal."
Unlike Baahubali 2, Dangal's USP lies in its drama and emotional intelligence. Earlier trade analyst Sreedhar Pillai told Indian express that Baahubali 2 will not be a unique film in the Chinese market as Hollywood is already churning out high-octane action flicks for them. “Baahubali 1 didn’t do well in China as there is no dearth of Hollywood action-based, high on visual movies. So, I can’t comment on Baahubali 2’s performance in China," Sreedhar said.
