Indian film 'Maharaja' makes waves in China; earns Rs 16 crore at box office

Beijing: Tamil movie Maharaja, the first Indian film to be released in China after the last month’s accord to normalise ties between the two countries, ending the standoff in eastern Ladakh, has earned around Rs 16 crore on the first day of its release on Friday.

According to cinema ticket sales portal Maoyan, the Vijay Sethupathi-starrer collected around RMB 13.37 million (Rs 15.6 crore) at the box office in China.

Ahead of its release, the film scored a high rating of 8.7/10 on Chinese movie review site Douban and is regarded as "one of the highest-rated Indian films in recent years".

The suspense thriller, which is competing with Hollywood blockbuster Gladiator II and China's Her Story, has scored a high rating of 8.7/10 on Chinese movie review site Douban and is being regarded as "one of the highest-rated Indian films in recent years". The movie has also been ranked at no. 5 in the ‘Daily Box Office’ column of ENT group, a box office tracker. 

Maharaja is the first Indian film to be screened in Chinese theatres after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping decided to normalise their ties following their meeting in Kazan, Russia on October 23. Bilateral relationship between India and China suffered a serious setback after border clashes in the Galwan valley in 2020.

Directed by Nithilan Saminathan and made with a moderate budget of Rs 20 crore, Maharaja was a box office success in India, where the movie’s release in June set the highest opening collection for the weekend after it hit Indian screens on June 14, earning over Rs 100 crore at home.

Vijay Sethupathi is one of Tamil cinema’s popular actors and made his debut in Hindi last year. He is also likely to star in the biopic of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Movie trackers in China say the day 2 collections have also shown an upward trend which will help the movie’s total collection cross the Rs 100 crore club.

Earlier, leading Indian film tracker Ramesh Bala had posted on his X page that Maharaja had debuted at No. 5 in China on Day One. “It grossed USD 540K and opened with 32,621 shows. With preview, the total gross is USD 1.18 Million [Rs 10 crores]. Strong weekend ahead,” he wrote.

Maharaja is the story of a barber seeking vengeance after a burglary at his home and for his wife’s death.

Indian films Three Idiots, Dangal and Secret Superstar, all starring Aamir Khan, were some of the major box office successes in China in recent years.

China has about 86,000 theatres all over the country, the highest in the world.

The strength of the film lies in its distinctive cultural expression and unique narrative techniques, Wang Peiyu, a Douban film critic, told state-run Global Times previously.

As a suspense film, Maharaja uses editing techniques to cleverly conceal the key actions of the protagonist, interspersing numerous subplots to confuse the audience. Through cross-cutting, it creates a feeling of simultaneity and carefully constructs a labyrinthine narrative, he noted.

Wang said many Chinese moviegoers have expressed that the film's theme, which deliberately misguides the audience and reveals the truth towards the end, leaving watchers stunned, can break through language and cultural barriers to resonate with Chinese audiences.

He pointed out that this subversive narrative approach not only gives the film a strong sense of sophistication but also makes it a standout in its genre, positioning it as a true blockbuster.

A viewer surnamed Li, who has watched the pre-screening of Maharaja, said the movie continues the tradition of recent Indian films, which focus on social issues, while also incorporating religious beliefs and moral concepts from Indian culture.

For Chinese audiences, such films not only provide intellectual stimulation but also offer a chance to understand Indian culture from a different perspective, Li told the daily.

In recent years, Indian films have established a strong presence in the Chinese market. From Dangal to Secret Superstar, these films have sparked discussions among audiences with their sincere emotions and social issues, she added.

Wang said Indian films have not only performed well at the box office but have also consistently won over Chinese audiences with their distinct themes and profound social issues.

Films like Maharaja often have a strong moral core, which is closely related to traditional Indian values. This is one of the key differences when compared to the more secular or individualistic narrative styles found in many Western films, said Wang.

He pointed out that in contrast, many Western suspense films focus more on psychological elements, dealing with themes of betrayal and justice, and rarely delve into cultural backgrounds.

Compared to Hollywood blockbusters like Gladiator II, which attract attention with their global influence and epic production, films like Maharaja offer a different kind of appeal in the international market through their unique regional and philosophical elements, he said.

(With PTI inputs)