Would you like to star in a Bollywood movie? Any international actor visiting India is asked this question and when put to Jackie Chan today, his answer was an emphatic "definitely, absolutely".
The 'Rush Hour' star, who enjoys a huge fan following in India, inaugurated the first ever China Film Festival which opened with Chan-directed 'The Chinese Zodiac'.
Jackie Chan. Pic/Santa Banta
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The actor- director-producer also took to mic to perform his popular song 'Country' live for the Indian audience. In a press conference earlier, Chan, who introduced Mallika Sherawat to the world through his 2005 film 'The Myth', charmed the media by declaring his love for all things Indian -- be it Aamir Khan's '3 Idiots', Bollywood or dishes like 'Kadahi chicken' and 'biryani'.
"10 years ago I stayed in India for a month shooting my film 'The Myth' here with Mallika (Sherawat). I saw lot of movies and watched MTV. I love the singing and dancing. I am a good singer. I hope that Indian directors call me with good roles. Actually, I am a very good actor and not only fight, fight, fight," he said amid laughter.
When asked who his favourite Indian actor was, a perplexed Chan said, "Forget it... I forget the name." He recovered soon to add, "So many.. there are so many good Bollywood films not only '3 Idiots' which are not introduced to the world. There is not enough promotion. I know there are many action stars here and beautiful women. Choreographers are really really good, probably the best in the world."
The actor may be enchanted by Indian choreography but he does not find himself good when it comes to dancing to a Bollywood number. "The only problem is my head. I can't move it. Hand is okay everyone in Hollywood, they can move their head." Chan said he was looking forward to see the two countries cooperate in film production as together they would make the world's biggest market.
"Today China is the second biggest film market in the world and in the next few years it would be the biggest market in the world. Same thing is with Bollywood. You are 1.2 billion people you have 12000. You are going to be a big market soon and when you are a big market everybody is coming to you, trying to understand your culture... it is a chain."
Chan was not comfortable answering political questions about the recent border tension between India and China. When a question like that came, a surprised Chan said, "Ask me, ask me?" So far comfortable with English, he quickly shifted to Chinese, calling for peaceful films to be made. "We should make movies that talk about peacemaking.
We can choose who can be our friends but neighbours you cannot choose. We have been neighbours for thousands of years. Why not love each other why hate each other. We should through the films and songs and media and through ordinary people call for peace. We should sing a song at the border." He emphasised that he wanted to move away from his action star image to be known as an actor.
"I want to be Asian Robert DiNero and Al Pacino. I used to enjoy action but now I enjoy acting because the life of an action star is really short but you can act till you are 80." Chan counts Sylvester Stallone as someone who has influenced him immensely. "Stallone struggled hard to make 'Rocky' movies and I think all the action stars are influence by this film.
He is the reason I came to Hollywood," said Chan, who is likely to star in Stallone's 'Expendables 3'. "Before you ask me about the movie. I want Stallone to announce whether I am in it or not." The six-day festival was inaugurated by I&B minister Manish Tewari along with Cai Fuchao, Minister of State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, Government of China and India Chine Economic and Cultural Council. Fuchao said that through festivals like these will help the two countries have stronger bilateral ties.
The festival comes soon after the visit of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. Fuchao said they were looking forward to organise an Indian Film Festival in China next year and return the same warmth that the Indian audience accorded them. Tiwari said both the countries have great cultural traditions in music, arts and films. He hoped that festivals like this would pave the way for more vibrant people to people contact.
The festival will screen films like Wong Kar Wai's latest 'The Grand Masters', 'A Simple Life' by Ann Hui, 'One Flew Over Raisin Ranch' by Yang Zhang and 'Failing Flowers' by Jiaqi Huo'. Chan was accompanied by Chinese film producer Han Sanping and the leading actresses of 'Chinese Zodiac' Zhang Lan Xin and Yao Xing Tong.u00a0
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