After creating waves in India, Aamir Khan starrer ‘PK’ released in China on May 22 in 5,400 screens across the country had struck gold. The film crossed 100 crore mark in China and creates a new record.
"The overseas cumulative box office reported for 'PK' so far is $42.67 million and counting. The cumulative box office for China is currently at $15.94 million," according to a source.
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh states ‘PK’ the new benchmark for Indian cinema.
"#PK creates HISTORY in China. Crosses Rs.100 cr on Sat [6 June; 16th day]. Total: $ 15.88 million [Rs.101.81 cr]. ALL TIME BLOCKBUSTER”, Adarsh posted on Twitter on Sunday.
Directed by Rajkumar Hirani, produced by Hirani and Vidhu Vinod Chopra, and written by Hirani and Abhijat Joshi, the film turned out to be the highest grossing Indian film in Australia, New Zealand and Pakistan.
“Indian science fiction comedy PK has scored 8.3 points on one of China’s biggest film reviewing websites Douban since its release in China on May 22. After emerging as the highest-grossing Indian movie ever with a box office of $101 million globally, it is standing high in the favour of the Chinese public,” Wang Xiaonan recently wrote for the state-run Global Times newspaper.
It is very strange to know about ‘PK’ success in China because unlike in the US or UK, the size of the Indian diaspora market is much smaller compared to them.
“China is not an Indian diaspora market. It is very encouraging to know that unlike in the US, here Chinese audiences are watching the movie. The movie has broken new grounds for an India film,” Prasad Shetty from NPRG which promoted PK here told HT.
‘PK’ released on December 19 last year collected Rs 615 crores worldwide, breaking Aamir Khan's ‘Dhoom 3’ record.
Highly thrilled with the box-office collection of ‘PK’ in China, Rajkumar Hirani said, "I had never imagined that PK would be received so lovingly in China. A rating of 8.8, a 4,600-screen release and business as huge as of North America. It furthers my belief that content is king."