China Cites Bollywood Actors Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan To Diffuse Sino-India Tensions

India-China border tensions, despite all the negotiations, remain high. India is expectedly furious with China for violating border pact that resulted in the death of 20 Indian soldiers. China, on the other hand, wants New Delhi to forget the border conflict and focus on bilateral trade.

As EurAsian Times reported earlier, Modi-government identified several Chinese organisations including Alibaba, Tencent, Huawei, Xindia Steels Ltd. which it believes are associated with the Chinese PLA and could be face action by the Indian government.

“We have zeroed in on some companies with links with the Chinese army but what action would be taken is yet to be decided,” said a source who has knowledge of the matter. Allegedly, the Chinese venture capital investments in India including “big names” where the benefits of civilian innovation are suspected to be used for China’s defence sector.

Earlier, the Indian government banned a total of 59 Chinese apps including the teen favourite TikTok. India’s IT ministry announced the banning of 59 Chinese apps that include giants names like ShareIt, UC Browser, Likee, WeChat, Weibo and Bigo Live.

The Indian ministry called the Chinese-owned applications as “prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, the security of the state and public order.”

Chinese state-media including the Global Times has consistently attempted to warn India over the economic repercussions in case tensions are not sorted out between India and China. Beijing also wants New Delhi to continue the economic partnership and overlook the recent border skirmishes.

In its latest attempt to ‘woo & warn’ India, the Global Times talks about Bollywood films and writes how Indian movies are doing wonders in China.

The GT writes – a remake of 2015 Indian movie Drishyam is doing roaring business in China. The Chinese remake Sheep Without a Shepherd has earned more than $430,000 since theatres reopened in the country.

The author further says – This makes me wonder when Bollywood films will return to the cinemas and which will the first movie to be screened. Citing Indian reports, GT writes that Hrithik Roshan’s Super 30 is likely to “be the first Bollywood movie to release in China after the coronavirus pandemic.”

Due to stringent safety protocols, theatres are only screening older films such as 2017’s Wolf Warrior 2 during the initial phase and then will move on to new films that were originally planned for release in the first half of 2020. When things are running smoothly, movies like Super 30 will finally hit big screens in China, says the GT report.

In its typical intimidating style, GT talks about the possibility of Indian movies being banned in China which could come as a massive blow to the Indian film industry.

The GT author writes – some of my Indian friends told me that they were disturbed that Bollywood movies were going to be banned in China. However, looking at China’s Weibo and other social media outlets, this worry seems to be an overreaction as there are no such voices which are demanding a ban on Bollywood films, the author reassures.

On a warmer tone, the report says that  Chinese people love to watch Indian films and are open to embracing new ideas and adapting them into our their films just like Sheep Without a Shepherd.

The report, in the end, takes a complete u-turn and goes on to blame extreme element in the Indian society who have launched a vicious campaign against Bollywood stars like Aamir Khan, Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan, who are loved and appreciated in China.

It is making matters even more detrimental by following the bad example of the Modi government’s ban on China’s video app TikTok, a move that has spurred detestable comments and behaviour toward China.