Beijing, Oct 22 (PTI) Prominent film production firms of India and China today announced their first joint venture to make a new co-production called “Kungfu Yoga” which could feature top Hollywood stars like Jackie Chan.
This is the first project to be initiated after both Governments signed an MOU on Film Co-Production in New Delhi during President Xi Jinping’s visit to India last month.
The agreement between Indian firm Viacom-18 and Chinese firms Taihe and Shine World was inked on the sidelines of the Indian film festival in Xi’an, capital of north-west China’s Shaanxi province, which began yesterday as part of ‘Glimpses of India’ festival.
“Kungfu Yoga”, sounding similar to “Kungfu Panda” was expected to portray Indian and Chinese cultural content considering their strengths in Kungfu in China and Yoga in India.
Jackie China is expected to feature in the movie.
It will be directed by the Hong Kong based Stanley Tong, who directed the “Stone Age Warriors”.
The content, theme and the budget of the new film will be announced later, Trade Councillor of the Indian Embassy, Namgya Khampa, Counsellor told PTI here.
During Xi’s visit, the agreement was signed between Ministry of Information and Broadcastings and China’s State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and TV.
The agreement focuses on joint productions with joint investments and the film cooperation between the two countries.
It also confers the status of local productions in both the countries.
The agreement could help Bollywood movies to get access to the Chinese market as currently very few Indian films are shown in the theatres due to stipulation that only 34 foreign movies are allowed to be shown in China every year. Most of the quota is grabbed by Hollywood movies.
