Going West is passe! Bollywood actors are heading East as Chinese films beckon

Disha Patani Amyra Dastur and Sonu Sood all share screen time with Jackie Chan in Kung Fu YogaMaking it big in Hollywood has always been on the wish list of Indian actors A number of bigticket Hollywood projects have roped in desi actors like Irrfan Khan and lately Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone However of late an increasing number of Indian actors are traversing a new path Instead of going West they are trying to make a presence in Chinese productionsSonu Sood is one of the first actors to have a fullfledged role in a Chinese film The actor essayed the role of King Harshavardhan in Xuanzang a film which has been chosen by China as the entry for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 89th Academy Awards in FebruarySonu says Period films have always fascinated me The regal costumes the stunts the detailing it looks magical on screen When I was approached for the film I thought it would challenge me as an actor because Chinese films have always been an alien territory for Indian actors Sonu will also be sharing screen space with Jackie Chan in the upcoming film Kung Fu Yoga which features Bollwood actresses Amyra Dastur and Disha PataniWorking with ChanTalking about her experience of working with the Chinese superstar Disha says Jackie is such a humble man I was completely awestruck when I saw him for the first time When he came and spoke to me I thought OMG hes real He knows my name He is one of the finest and kindest human beings I have come acrossAmyra too was excited about working with Jackie It made me want to be part of it Another actor who is looking to make it big in China is Rahul Bhat who was seen in Bollywood films like Ugly 2013 and Jai Gangaajal this year Rahul features in True Heroes an actioncomedy As part of prep for the film he learnt Mandarin and martial arts I am grateful to the producers who saw my film Ugly at Cannes and gave me an opportunityGaining popularityWith changing content in the international market the demand for Indian actors in Chinese films is on a rise Sonu was surprised that he was already a known face I wasnt aware that people recognised me They would sing songs from Happy New Year 2014 and knew that I had worked with Shah Rukh Khan who is a big star in ChinaRahul Bhat will be seen in the Chinese action comedy True HeroesApart from acting Sonu is also keen on collaborating with Chinese production houses to produce films I have shot two films so I am aware how they work I am already in talks with a few production houses and I have also met a few people from the China Film Group Corporation to discuss work They too are keen on doing something in India so I hope something will materalise soon he addsIndian actors are often criticised for playing cameos in international films but Rahul feels the fact that they managed to get an international film is incredible A lot of people say Chhota role play kiya hain but that is how it works You have to start small to make it big The fact that someone has actually got a role is enormous in itself He adds The doors are opening not just for actors but also for technicians The collaboration is growing The Chinese market is keeping an eye on India to get new stories and talent he saysAmyra feels that cinema is expanding and world cinema is being appreciated more and more Different cultures are coming together to make movies on a grand scale for the global audience rather than their own country As an actor one cannot ask for more she explainsGlobal exposureIndians have always been fascinated by Chinese films Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee have always been popular in India But now the tables have turned and Indian films are gaining popularity Also when a film features popular faces from across the world it tends to become more universal says Bhatt Sonu says the trend is catching up because India is increasingly contributing to Chinese films coffers Kung Fu Yoga a SinoIndian project is a part of the threefilm agreement signed between the two countries during Chinese President Xi Jinpings visit to IndiaSimilary a lot of coproduction of films is planned for the future Currently China has a policy where they showcase 40 films from outside the country Out of that 36 films are from all over the world mostly Hollywood and only four films from India They have a restrictive policy But the new agreement will allow more films to release in China