As 2018 comes to an end, China is getting a taste of marquee Hindi films. Rishi Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan’s 102 Not Out (2018) released there on 30 November. The family drama didn’t do quite well. Next film in the lineup is Akshay Kumar’s Pad Man, that is set to hit the screens in China on 14 December. Soon, Aamir Khan’s Thugs Of Hindostan will follow on 28 December.
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh announced on Twitter, sharing two new posters in Mandarin.
“Date finalised… #TOH to release in #China on 28 Dec 2018… Official posters for #China,” tweeted Adarsh.
What makes the release of Thugs Of Hindostan special is that the Indian film will hit the screens in China during the blackout period. During the Chinese New Year, Christmas, New Year, and summer holidays, the Chinese government only permits the release of local films.
Aamir Khan’s affair with China started with Dangal (2016) that went on to make over Rs1,000 crore there. Khan followed this up with Secret Superstar (2017) that also earned well Rs500 crore. Both films were co-produced by Khan, but Thugs Of Hindostan is produced by Yash Raj Films. The China theatrical distribution rights are said to have been sold to Estars Films for around $15 million (Rs109 crore).
Made at a huge budget of Rs 300 crore, Thugs Of Hindostan had released across 5,000 screens (in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu languages) in India, and in 2000 screens abroad. Khan’s films have always enjoyed wide releases in China, and it would be no different for Thugs Of Hindostan. Yash Raj Films will pin their hopes on the China market for the Indian business could only fetch Rs140.25 crore nett, as last reported by Boxofficeindia.com.
As per trade sources, Yash Raj Films is said to have bagged around Rs110 crore through satellite rights, sold to Sony, and digital rights, sold to Amazon.
Directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya, Thugs Of Hindostan is a period film set in the 18th century. The plot revolves around the British hiring a thug named Firangi Mallah (Aamir Khan) to help them nab the rebel Khudabaksh (Amitabh Bachchan).